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Bethany
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| Posted: Feb 20 2010 at 4:56pm | IP Logged
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Well, since #5 is due in a few weeks, DH and I tried to rearrange our Odyssey this afternoon  . I see people with 5 in their minivan, but I'm not sure how? Ours are so close that my oldest still has to be in a booster seat legally till June. Then my second is still in a booster for at least 1 1/2 years, my third is a peanut and still needs a full harness seat and then a booster after that till she's 8, the fourth is only 2 and then the new little girl due in April. We just can't seem to find a way to get everyone in, much less comfortably. We can't put three boosters in the back because they just couldn't get their hands in there to fasten the belts. Then I thought maybe we could put the 4 & 6 yo in the back and the baby, 2 yo and 7 yo in the middle row. I was thinking maybe the 7 yo could sit by the door so we could move the seat back and forth to get the other two out of the back.
There just doesn't seem to be a way. If they were all in true car seats, then once they were installed we could reach the straps to fasten everyone. As it is, boosters make it more difficult because you have to be able to reach between the seats to fasten. Plus, I don't have two or three old enought to not need any kind of seat.
So, has anyone made this type of situation work in an Odyssey. I think it's just too tight. We've been looking at larger vans, I just wanted to wait because this one is almost paid off and I don't want another car payment. I'm not sure now that we can wait.
Any suggestions?
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Bethany
Wife to Mike, Mommy to Amelia (6/02), Sarah (10/03), Martha Grace (10/05), Rebecca Anne (12/07), Laura Catherine (3/10) and Reed Michael 7/4/14.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Feb 20 2010 at 5:01pm | IP Logged
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When we did it.. we had a Windstar.. we wedged the 3 seats in the back.. rearfacing seat in between two others.. it was a real pain (in many body parts) getting them buckled in.. but once they were.. it was fine.. and then the older two in booster were in the middle seat leaving them room to buckle themselves each time.
I believe that the arms of the fwd facing car seats in the back were on top of the arms of the rear facing seat if I'm remembering right.
When #6 was due we gave in and got the 15 pass. van 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Feb 20 2010 at 5:14pm | IP Logged
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I had this issue when I had my daycare business - and the brand of car seat made a difference, too. I just tried every possible combination until I found one that worked.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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mathmama
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| Posted: Feb 20 2010 at 5:24pm | IP Logged
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I would try to get all the car seats in one row. We have a Jeep Commander, which I can't imagine has more room side to side than a van. We have 3 in car seats. Our 2yo and baby rear face and they are outboard. Our 5yo is forward facing and she is in the middle. We got her a Radian because it is very narrow. It sounds like you have 2 FF and then will have the infant RF. I would try putting the infant in between the 2 FF. And like Nancy said that brand of car seat can make all the difference. Our 5yo couldn't just be in any seat and still fit in between, she needed a really narrow seat and the Radian fit the bill.
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Beth, wife to Tom and mommy to 4 beautiful girls:
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Bethany
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| Posted: Feb 20 2010 at 5:32pm | IP Logged
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Thank you all!
So maybe the Radian in the middle back with two boosters on each side and then the baby and 2yo in the middle row kind of like we have now.
Does anyone know of a less wide booster that doesn't have those cup holders?
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Bethany
Wife to Mike, Mommy to Amelia (6/02), Sarah (10/03), Martha Grace (10/05), Rebecca Anne (12/07), Laura Catherine (3/10) and Reed Michael 7/4/14.
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kingvozzo
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| Posted: Feb 20 2010 at 9:20pm | IP Logged
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Suzanne had a blog post a while back about how she managed it. It might be helpful...
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Noreen
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Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
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Bethany
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| Posted: Feb 22 2010 at 12:06pm | IP Logged
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Thank you for that link Noreen. I remember when she posted that, but couldn't find it on her blog. I was a little stressed at the time and didn't want to spend too much time searching.
Unfortunately, Honda does not make nor endorse a seat belt extender. That's really the only way to make a booster possible in the back with another car seat(s). So I measured today and it looks like I have 49 to 50". The best option may be to have the baby, 4 yo and 2 yo in the back row and then two boosters in the middle row. I'm looking at the Radian 65 and I saw somewhere online where the Chicco Keyfit is fairly small for an infant carrier type car seat. I called Buy, Buy Baby and they have both in the store  !!! They said I could come and they would even take them out for me to try in the car  . So I should know here in few hours whether this will even come close to working. I hate to pay this much for car seats, but it's much better than dealing with a new car purchase.
Even if I only keep this car for a few more months, at least I'll have some breathing room to make a good decision. I hate that a van wouldn't fit in my garage. Here in TX we have heat and hail and heavy rain, which would make an ungaraged car difficult. But I hate to buy a Suburban and then in 2 or 3 years, be expecting another little one, which would completely fill it up.
Oh well, say a little prayer that this will work out for the best.
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Bethany
Wife to Mike, Mommy to Amelia (6/02), Sarah (10/03), Martha Grace (10/05), Rebecca Anne (12/07), Laura Catherine (3/10) and Reed Michael 7/4/14.
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Feb 22 2010 at 12:51pm | IP Logged
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How nice that the store will let you road test the car seats before you buy one! Excellent customer service!
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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MNMommy
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| Posted: Feb 25 2010 at 8:34pm | IP Logged
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This is a timely thread for us. Our current plan is to have two backless boosters in the back with a 5pt radian in the middle for my 8yo, 6yo, and 2yo. We expect to need the seatbelt extenders. The baby seat and a full sized booster will be in the middle for my newborn and 4yo. This is the plan, but we haven't tried any of it!
Our van is a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan.
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Jennifer
Tired mom to - 10yo dd, 7yo ds, 6yo ds, 4yo dd, 2yo ds
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Feb 25 2010 at 10:30pm | IP Logged
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Jennifer and Bethany.....I see the ages of your oldest, and just updating a bit: my oldest daughter didn't "need" the seat belt extender for very long....once she got used to the situation, she was miraculously able to get her little hand in there and buckle without it. WE couldn't do it, but she could....
Also I think you mentioned it above...but just clarifying: not all manufacturers and dealerships will give you a seat belt extender for use with a child's booster. They really are meant for adults who have a hard time buckling for one reason or another.
Most extenders are "too long" for a child's booster and the buckle comes too close to their pelvic bone or to close to the middle of the body, for it to be "safe."
Ours wasn't very long at all and it ended up being fine for the type of booster that we had. But, i've heard from lots of parents and car seat inspectors that ours was unusual.
I just skimmed the thread....so maybe this has been mentioned already, but call Elite Car Seats.com and explain your situation, make of car, age/weigh of children, etc....they are very good at brainstorming and problem solving these situations.
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Suzanne in ID
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Van Help!!!
