We Got A Car Seat

Car seat.

 We got a car seat.

 It sounds so simple, but the words repeat over and over in my head. Softly at first as I play with their cadence — we got a car seat. I practice saying it more confidently, clearly.

 We got a car seat.

 This car seat may seem like an obvious purchase to some. One of the many, many things I’m learning you need to have a baby. For us, a car seat is much more. It is the only thing you need to have when an agency calls to bring a baby home.

 This big piece of plastic, with complicated buttons and straps is the safety chair that we need to bring our baby home.

 And we have it. We are ready for a baby.

 The experience of buying a car seat began, as most things do in our house, with side by side lap tops. We pulled up tab after tab of options. Rob pouring over the consumer reports and safety feedback while I helped by finding the best looking in these categories.

 “Promise me you’ll look at more than just colors and fabrics…” – my husband begins his routine guidance in bringing me back to what is important.

 We enter Buy Buy Baby and I am an instant child walking into Disney World. Big eyes as I run from section to section: sweaters, blankets, cribs, diapers — I touch everything I pass trying to imagine the day I’ll actually buy all of these things.

 We finally enter the 10 rows of car seats and strollers, intimidated. We push one, then another. With each lap we pick up different personalities, trying to walk with sass, with caution, with confidence. There is a baby doll in the area and we practice placing it in different seats, each of us giving unsolicited advice.

 We both easily agree — the Chicco Viarra is the winner. After the sales lady nicely points out we are saying the brand name wrong (pronounced Kee – ko), we make our first purchase.

 We have a car seat.

 In the days that have passed I continue to say it to myself, turning it into a mantra that convinces me this will happen. We will be parents. While I’m generally optimistic and hopeful, at times it all seems so uncertain and full of questions.

 But we have a car seat. A step towards a family.