Car Shopping AKA The Seventh Layer of Hell

Yeah, so  -  we are shopping for a new car for Nick.  His is seven years old and completely impractical for one child, let alone two.  I mean, I guess it's SORT of fun because yay! New car!  But, gah...there are just so many options and models and colors and I find it all very overwhelming.

Complicating matters is that we are trying really hard to buy a car that will comfortably fit two scar seats plus a double stroller in the trunk, which has meant a lot of research.  And diagrams.  And spreadsheets.  And of course, once we started researching the cars, we also had to research car seats which is truly confusing.  I mean, everyone wants their baby to be safe, but car seat manufacturers lead you to believe 'if you buy any other car seat than ours, your child will not survive past two, so I guess if you want that on your conscience, fine, we'll just be sitting over here with The Safest Car Seat In All The Land'.  And then of course, if you want to know if a double stroller will fit in the trunk, you also have to research those.  The whole thing was making me itchy and starting to dread the process of registering because WHAT IF I REGISTER FOR THE WRONG KIND OF CRIB SHEETS?  God Forbid.

Fortunately, a friend from grad school had put together an awesome registry list that I have now supplemented with tips and information from other friends so I can basically just check items off the list.   Although I do still have to figure out the whole car seat and stroller thing.  We were lucky to have a friend loan us an infant car seat so we can take it with us car shopping.  And we can put the cats in there, which is also very enjoyable - for us, anyway.

But, as much as we like to over-complicate things, it is all worth it and we wouldn't trade these 'problems' for anything in the world.  The babies are continuing to rock each week.  We had ultrasounds at 12, 13 and 14 weeks and everything looks great, including the 'big' ultrasound at 12 weeks where they screen for chromosomal problems and other issues.  We are very blessed to have had a very healthy pregnancy to this point.  My only complaint is that they are apparently camera shy and have been completely uncooperative the last two visits.   I now get to go a whole TWO WEEKS without a doctor visit - which is sort of incredible considering I have had one every week since five weeks.  I won't know what to do with myself.   Probably I will have more time to put Ernie in the carseat and take pictures.