"Ooo I can move more!"

Yesterday I bought Inwe a car booster seat. This isn't a child's car seat complete with five point harness. It's just a seat, about three inches high, with a back and headrest. Instead of latching it into the frame of the seats, it just sits there.

Buying it was a small adventure in itself. I left Finwe in his infant car seat instead of wearing him on me so that I could pick up the box of the car seat once I had chosen one. I put the infant car seat on the shopping car. Larien wanted to ride in "the big part", but I told her, "No, that's where I'm going to put the big box. There won't be room for you."

Inwe quickly piped up, "Do this Larien. Just hang on tight." Inwe had placed her hands on the side of the cart with her feet on the metal support at the bottom. Larien climbed right up imitating Inwe.

We got across the parking lot to the door only to discover that the opening was too small for one cart with two girls hanging on the side. I had Inwe step off and follow us inside. Once inside the store Inwe jumped on again.

I must have looked 1)clueless, 2)lost, or 3)a sever liability if we stayed in the store too long, because an employee asked me if I needed help finding something. I can't say that I've ever had this happen at Toys R'Us, but yesterday it did. I explained I was looking for the car seats. He pointed the way and went about his business. As I was staring at the various booster seat options, the employee walked by on the way to the back of the store. He asked if I needed help in selecting a seat. We got into a conversation about boosters; he was incredibly helpful. The choice was easy after looking at the options with his help. Inwe decided she could get the box in the cart. She tried, but she needed help. It wasn't all that heavy to me, but to her it was too bulky for maneuvering.

When we got home I changed the car seats around in the van. All three were sleeping, so I didn't have them crawling over me. Inwe's Britax Marathon with the light brown puppy paw print fabric was adjusted and turned around for Finwe. I put the booster in Inwe's place in the van.

She was really excited about getting in the seat and using the "real seatbelt". Once she was belted in her response was, "Ooo, I can move more. Look at wher I can put my feet! I can lean forward. Wow!"

Larien refused to get into her five-point harness seat for awhile. She kept saying, "I want one. I need a booster." It really hurt me to say, "You aren't big enough yet," which she isn't. She has been making leaps with the "I'm just a little girl" mentality. First, she decided she was getting bigger and bigger when she went to a carnival over vacation. She could ride most of the rides Inwe did. Then on the way to the potty Larien said, "I'm getting to be a big girl."

Larien eventually crawled into her seat, and she hasn't complained since. Her conversations with me have reflected her desire to grow and get bigger. She told me about all the rides she rode last week at the carnival. She told me about how well she did on the way back home in the car with going potty. She corrected me when I said, "You are a great little girl."

"No, Mommy, I'm a great big girl."