GBeckman

Great advice already posted here (and cute kid, OP)! ^

Just to add to the chorus, my DS turned 3 a month ago and is still happily rear-facing in his Boulevard. He usually props his feet up on the seat in front of him (if the dog isn't in the car, in which case he likes to try to "pet" the dog with his feet ). He's only got a pound until the limits of his seat (it's a couple years old, so only 33 pounds), and I'm not looking forward to turning him around...I already get enough driving advice from him without him really being able to see where we're going!

Eclipsepearl

Great photo! She's a cutie. My sling was very similar, with some padding along the edges.

You can do sling or Ergo. I'd pull the shoulder down a bit and move the rings up as she gets bigger. They're good for that toddler-I-want-to-walk-so-don't-bring-the-stroller when you know she wont make it all the way.

Funny about the ice skating. I spend my life at the rink. All three of my kids are into it (ages 5, 7 & 9) and we're tall too (but not as tall; 5'8 and 6'2"). They're kind of leggy sticks out there.

The two older ones are still in boosters because while they have long legs, they have tiny torsos and the straps go over their necks (not good in an accident!). The youngest is in a Radian65, which we take on the plane.

GBeckman

I LOVE my ergo. As a single mom, who's almost always travelling alone with my DS, I don't know what I would do without it. I strap DS on my back, so I know he's contained, and that allows me to have two free hands to push the stroller (holding the carseat, diaper bag, and my laptop) and pull our suitcases (hooked together). It squishes up nice and small, and no metal parts, so I can wear DS through security. For as much as I questioned whether I should get it or not, it's been a fantastic investment!

codex57

If you're tall, they just call you elegant. My sister's only 5'5" or so, but she reached 10th in nationals before injuries took their toll. She was a giant compared to the others. Still, that just meant she had long legs comparatively. The comments were always, "look how elegant and flowy her lines are" or something to that effect. Yeah, cuz her appendages weren't little nubs. I don't see how being 6' would prevent you from being able to skate competitively.

icedancer

Back to the carseat issue...I have a friend on Facebook who just posted a picture of her small, just-turned-1-year-old sitting in a forward-facing car seat. How would you suggest I tell her this is a bad idea without raising any "don't tell me how to parent my child" hackles? I'm not normally a fan of unsolicited advice myself, but this is a life-and-death matter. The mom is someone I went to high school with, but we're not that close.

GBeckman

Maybe something along the lines of "I just saw your pictures...oh so cute...by the way, I noticed that you turned little joey around. Did you know that (blah blah blah)? Here's a link about rear-facing."?

Maybe add to it something about how you didn't know either, until you saw an article/a friend told you/your doctor told you, etc. Even if it's not entirely true. That way you don't make it sound like she's an awful mother for not knowing.

I've also been known to just randomly post links about extended rear-facing in my profile so any of my friends can see it pop up. It actually sparked a little discussion with a friend who is now considering extended rear-facing with their DD2. Hooray! That was my passive-aggressive approach to a friend asking me at the zoo one day "So are you ever going to turn <DS> around??" (He just turned 3, by the way). To which I replied, when he reaches the limit of his seat!

Bookworm

Hello Icedancer,

regarding your friend, I would also go the way "I just learnt and you might be interested" and not tell her quite as directly.

My babysitter kids (2 and 6 years) both sit still rear-facing in Swedish seats and I cannot see them enjoying it less than FF kids.

mairismum

Hello-
I will be travelling BTV-JFK-SEA-EWR-BTV (DL outbound, CO return)with my 12 mos old DD in her Britax decathlon. This seat is similar to but a bit bigger than a Marathon. The BTV legs are on CRJ and EMB RJs, the SEA legs on 737s. My first DD was a lap child for 2yrs so i have no carseat-on-plane experience (i dont want to reignite the seat vs lap child furor)- i have purchased a seat this time.

Will i have any trouble installing this big seat on the RJs? Are there any tips in case i run into trouble? Do i put the carseat in the middle or by the window?Are there threads on this topic anyone can direct me to? All advice appreciated.

6rugrats

There is no middle seat on the RJs. Configuration is one seat on the left side and two on the right. Put it by the window IMO.

Everyone seems to complain how difficult these seats are to use, but I have no experience. There are lots of threads discussing Britax seats. Have you done a search?

Suggest you look on seatguru.com at your planes and look up the seat dimensions to see if this seat will fit.

vicarious_MR'er

The Decathlon is a BEAST of a seat. Marathons are hard to fit (but they do). I am not sure at all about a Decathlon, esp. in an RJ. I think I recall reading on car-seat.org that Decathlon rarely works.

I'd splurge the $40 on a cosco scenera as your travel seat

icedancer

Did a search and couldn't find direct confirmation of the above. Is there any problem getting a Boulevard to fit in the economy bulkhead of a United A319/320? (The tray tables are in the armrests, so I know the seats are a little bit narrower than others).

6rugrats

It's not going to fit. The bulkhead seats in E+ on an A319 and a 320 have a width of 18" and your seat's width is 19.5 inches.

icedancer

So then basically we will have to choose a different row so that we can put up the armrest?

This trip is going to be from the Wednesday before and Sunday after Thanksgiving. I hope that we can find an entire row of folks in E+ to switch with us...

I'm not sure DD is going to do very well in a seat by herself for 6 hours at only 15 months.

vicarious_MR'er

The option I'd suggest is to get yourself either a Cosco Scenera seat (about 40-50 dollars) or a Safety 1st Avenua (about 80-90 dollars) to use as your travel seat and be done with it. You won't require hope for switcheroo games.

The Avenue seat would last you longer size-wise and comfort-wise, the Scenera is a solid bet and weighs next to nothing

They are both very safe seats, too

baglady

A Britax Marathon WILL fit on a CO RJ. I did it several times. It does take time so take a deep breath; board early but it will work. Sorry I don't have info on a Decathalon.