need help with convertible car seats...

[bellasmybug]

My DD is 10.5 months and we will be moving her to a rear-facing convertible seat in a few weeks. I am trying to figure out the best seats based on our cars and her size. We have a Roundabout already so we just need a second seat, but need help figuring out which car to put the Roundabout in if we get a different seat as a second.

Background - DD is a peanut. She currently weighs 16lbs and is 27.5". She still fits very comfortably in her Snugride, so we don't plan to move her for a bit. More than likely she will always be small (I'm just under 5' and very small, so she appears to have inherited my genes) so I don't know if we need a seat that goes up to 65lbs, but I wouldn't mind having it just in case.

The cars we currently have are a 2000 Mazda Protege which is my car and the main one she is in, and a 2005 Toyota Marix which is my husbands car and the one we use for family outings and roadtrips. My preference would be to have a good carseat in each car as I plan to have them installed professionally and not transferred between cars.

I have considered another Roundabout, a Marathon (love the different patterns!), the Fisher Price seat, and the Evenflo Triumph or Tribute (can't remember which one). Please offer any advice or suggestions so I can decide which car to put the Roundabout in and go ahead and order the second seat for when we are ready.

Thanks so much!!!

[Joolsplus2]

Even little kids can get a lot of benefit out of the Marathon. No, it won't last till 65 pounds (heck, my 9.5 yo doesn't even weigh 60 yet!), but it will last an extra year or more rearfacing (Safest way she can ride, by far), and a couple extra years forward facing, till age 6 or so. Since rearfacing and harnessed are the safest way kids can ride, for as long as possible, the extra height limits of the Marathon are fabulous. The Evenflos are bad for rearfacing, and have other issues that make them not worthy of consideration. The Fisher Price is good, but can't be top tethered rearfacing like the Marahtons (which is a nice safety feature).

I'd go for a Marathon :D.

As for learning to install them, insist the certified technician teach you to do it. You never know when it might have to come out (diaper blowout, spilled juice, you name it, you'll need to know how to take it out and put it in for 5+ years, so you don't want to be stranded and helpless at any time, and it's plenty easy, way easier than the snugride with a lap/shoulderbelt and locking clip, which is probably what you have now?

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[mommyto4]

I second Julie's suggestion of a Marathon. As for which car to put which seat in, just go with the car that they fit best in. I hope that makes sense.

[KrisM]

I agree with Julie. DD is small - 16.5 lbs and 26.5 inches at 9 months. I am very excited to think of how long she might be able to rear-face! I was so bummed to have to turn FFing at 26 months.