Winter and car seats

We sit here at the end of February, thigh high in snow and negative temperatures and indoor play days. I'm not one to complain about the weather. I live in theMidwest  after all. Anything can happen. 

But I've gotten to a point with a few things were we have just given up and are waiting for spring. 

One was shoveling this weekend. Granted we were all sick. The snow melted. Then froze. Then snowed again. Creating this hump if ice at the end of my driveway that could puncture tires. And we just don't care. And our sidewalk? Well. Abandon all hope ye who enter here. At least I can say we are not the only ones. How many times can a person shovel in a week? 

(It's quite a bit better than before)

The area in which I have completely lost it is with dressing my son for the winter. No, I am not taking him outside in shorts and a t shirt. Hold off your calls to DCFS to let me explain. 

I only have one child. God bless those with more than one little one and how they survive this winter coat monstrosity. 

I have friends with 3 children under 4. I cannot imagine. 

(We are just in the train here. But tucked under his arm is our extra blanket I shall refer to later. )

So getting a 2 year old into a winter get up is hard enough, right? (Not to mention snow pants. Boots. Hats. Gloves. Scarves) But in case you don't know, you are not supposed to have your child in a car seat with a winter coat on. It's a safety hazard. Car seats were not designed for that. 

So every time I get my child into the car or out of it. We are wrangling giant coats on and off. We are lucky to have a garage so I don't usually have to worry about getting him in to the car at home with a coat ( but what about those without garages ? Or packed too full so you park in the driveway like half if my neighborhood?)

So days like today. It's 15 degrees out. I take Ben to gymnastics. Then we stop for lunch before going home. Other days insert grocery shopping or Moms group or whatever. Constant coat wrangling in the back of a. 4 door sedan ( no we have not succumbed to soccer mom suburbia with a van or SUV. Yet. ) 

And so I have given up. Ben wears his hats. His gloves. His favorite stripey fleece hoodie. But then I resort to one of 2 methods to get him warmly out if the car. And am ok with the pitied stares I get. 

1. I wrap him up in a blanket. It can just be draped over him as I get him out of the seat. 

2. I put his winter coat on backwards. Yep. Rather than pick up spin around pull coat on while door is open. We walk right into Walmart with his hood in front. 

What are you going to do about it?

I actually think children's winter coats should be designed this way for this very reason. 

Maybe I am feeling a little guilty aftergymnastics  where I saw every other parent with their child fully and properly dressed. Forwards. 

And it will be this way until Mother Nature forgives the grudge she has against us all and allows the snow to melt and for me to be able to run in shorts. 

And moms everywhere are freed from the burden of winter coats.