PSA: New and Expecting Parents ~ mark your calendar! For more information on Car Seat and Child Passenger Safety, join UPPAbaby’s Child Passenger Safety Advocate, Daniella Brown @UPPAcpsa and me @MC3Anna next Wednesday September 25th 9pm EST/ 6pm PST on Twitter #UPPAchat! Bring your questions and join the Twitter Q&A. The chat will be a great opportunity for parents and expectant parents to learn from Daniella and each other how to keep our little ones safe! Hope to see you there. xo
AJ and I are filled with such joy anticipating the birth of our son within the next month!!! Little Max is due October 17th. I feel blessed that Max and I have been simpatico, allowing me to savor and cherish this remarkable journey of pregnancy. Feeling him kick and watching my belly grow has been magical and the connection I already feel to my little boy is deep and beautiful.
My little brother Peter, 9 months old
When I first found out I was pregnant, like most women, I was flooded with emotion. Amidst the tears of joy, a piece of me was nervous that a little baby of my own would bring back unresolved grief for me and my family. When I was 5, my family was in a fatal car accident and my 10-month-old brother Peter was killed. Later, my grandfather described the accident as “unnecessary.” I think what he meant was that the strength of my family didn’t need to be tested by such an unthinkable tragedy and he was right. The impact of the loss stretched across decades for my Mom, Dad and me.
Not only was my brother’s death “unnecessary,” but it was also preventable. It was 1989, it was a long drive between family visits up I-5 from California to Oregon, my mom was driving, I was napping and Peter was hungry. My Aunt, who was in the middle row of the mini van beside him, made the fatal decision to unbuckled him from his car seat to hold and feed him. In a flash, our world crumbled when we were rear ended by a semi truck who had lost its breaks and was barreling down the mountain pass uncontrollably. My brother, no longer protected by his infant car seat was thrown from the car and killed instantly. This was both an unnecessary and preventable accident.
To my joy and relief, anticipating Max’s arrival has not tugged at “unresolved grief” I was worried may have been lurking in secret corners. Rather, imagining Max and feeling his movements during this pregnancy has brought a wave of love and fresh life to the shadows of my childhood.
SO, in the spirit of new beginnings… AJ and I are thrilled to be joining forces with UPPAbaby to educate people on the importance of child passenger safety. The founders, Bob and Lauren are yet another Husband and Wife duo that work well together 🙂 They have 3 kids of their own and have built a brand of baby gear that is focused around safety and comfort for Baby and convenience and style for the Mom and Dad.
How appropriate that the hospital checklist for my 35th week includes an infant car seat, the same week as Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week! One of the many reasons why we love UPPAbaby products is that their MESA car seat is an industry LEADER in safe, correct car seat installation with their red to green tension indicator. AJ and I just walked through the infant car seat installation with UPPAbaby and Ben, a Magic Beans Child Passenger Safety Technicians, in Wellesley yesterday and it literally took under 10 seconds! I feel honored to be entering the new status of “MOM” in just a few short weeks. I know scrapes and bruises are apart of childhood, but AJ and I want to do what we are able to eliminate the preventable injuries. This is one important step!
For your own copy of the UPPAbaby Car Seat Safety Information and Statistics, click here.
Ben walked us thru the MESA weight and height requirements and showed us how to adjust the harness and chest clips.
Ben showed us the LATCH installation. The tightness indicator turned from red to green when the base was secure.
AJ practiced installing the Carrier without the base using the Lap/Shoulder Belt European Routing Method – great for quick cab rides around town and vacation! Looking like a real Dad, AJ!
Ben showed us how to fit the MESA into the UPPAbaby Vista frame with 2 simple adapters. We are ready to roll:)
Thank you UPPAbaby and Magic Beans for the carseat education and help with our first install! Looking forward to seeing you all at the Twitter Chat next Wednesday September 25th at 9pm EST, 6pm PST #UPPAchat.