The car seat is in! Wait, now it's been removed.... but now it's in again...

So we got a car seat and stroller (thank you Ayako and Shu!). I studied and researched on the internet, took test drives in baby stores, interrogated unexpecting parents I accosted in the mall, and finally made my decision. (For those of you who care about specifics, we selected the 2007 Peg Perego Pliko P3 and the Graco Snugride Metropolitan.)

For the last few weeks, we've played and practiced with the stroller, driven it all over the house, and even tried to take the cat for a ride (she wasn't having any of that, however).

Practicing:


Finally, the day came. Yesterday was the big day for car seat installation!
Figuring it all out:

Johnny was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was (using the 'LATCH' system). Until he noticed a little problem: the driver's seat* was pushed forward as far as possible for ease of installation, and the car seat was too big for it to go back into a more reasonable position! Now, we're not tall people and we don't have long legs. Nor is a our new car particularly tiny. It didn't seem to make sense.
*Note: the safest place is in the middle of the backseat. Our car owner's manual actually says don't put the seat in the middle, so behind the driver is the second safest place in the car. Hence all the upset about it fitting on that side.

Looks good until you can't squeeze in behind the steering wheel:

Ultimately, no matter how we tried to work it, the car seat just plain old didn't fit. Johnny made all sorts of grumbling noises about THIS being why we needed a minivan, but I wasn't having any of it.

So........

.... back it went.

For some reason, the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio seat (ie. the true match for the stroller) is smaller, as well as being marginally heavier, and somewhat more expensive. But less expensive than buying ANOTHER new car!

Sooooo...... the new, smaller but more expensive car seat has now been purchased and installed, and we've practiced again with trying to drive the cat all over the house. (Without any better results in that department.) Now that this important step has been done, we're finally completely ready for our new family member!

I am really getting to feel quite uncomfortable at this point. Sleeping is difficult and I feel a fairly constant low-level ache in my hips and pelvis, probably either from all the joint expansion from the pre-delivery hormones, all the extra weight, or some combination of both. Baby is peppy and active in there, however, and shows no signs of dropping anytime soon (for those of you who are bound to ask). I'm hoping the gods will look favourably on me and let me have an early delivery.