amazingly warm day out here

I think we got above 60 degrees, which was nice because work continued on the hole where we used to have a sliding glass door. Which in theory, we'll have a door again tomorrow morning. That would be very, very cool. R. got a nice, long bike ride today. T. has been enjoying going to Nashua Public Library with B. and playing with the really super huge stuffed Pooh. There might be a frivolous present in his future.

I'm a little hazy on what happened yesterday (other than I spent a lot of time in the chair again); I think B. canceled and therefore we were short on child care. Also, catching up on laundry.

car seats

I've been resistant to getting a booster seat for T., because the trade-off is that booster seats are more convenient but probably not as safe as a full featured car seat, at least for younger kids. And where car seats are concerned, I generally opt for safety over convenience within some constraints (like, no freaking way am I lugging a Britax convertible on an airplane; the Evenflo has to be good enough after the bucket days are gone -- and I switched to the strappy thing anyway and we checked the Evenflo last trip).

However, we've been switching the car seat that normally lives in the Fit (the Evenflo) in and out of B.'s car and J.'s car a lot, which has prompted some thought about getting a third seat just on general principles. A high-back booster seemed like a reasonable choice. We looked at what Target had (because we were there buying T. a costume and me some clothes) and had no idea what to pick, then went home (ran out of time) and did some research which led me to the Compass foldable, lightweight boosters. I ordered the B530 from Albee along with a couple other items and if it works, it'll be replacing the Evenflo for travel (checked, in other words, and yes, I bought the bag, too).

Anyone know anything about Compass as a brand/their products/boosters in general that feels like weighing in? T. is now 3 years and a couple months old and weighs about 37 pounds or so. He's three feet something (maybe 38 or 39 inches tall) tall. Do I need to feel guilty and apologetic for putting him in a booster before he's 4?

christmas sweaters

For the last couple years, I've bought a truly appalling sweater for Christmas. Previously, I went with the websites of the home shopping channels (QVC and HSN), since that was all I could find online with sufficiently atrocious sweaters. The first year's theme was reindeers; last year's theme involved penguins.

This year, however, I discovered a new website. And I have ordered and received this year's sweater. Check it out -- cats and shopping bags. R. _swears_ it is adequately Christmas-y, but I have my doubts. I probably would have gone with the Nutcracker sweater instead.

http://www.countryewe.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=4610&Category=95

The goal is to eventually have enough really bad holiday sweaters to wear a different one every day from T-day to Boxing Day -- or at least the 12 Days of Christmas. I feel like I should really give my children something to roll their eyes over and make them want to hide their mother away from their friends. Fortunately, R.'s sense of humor/style is at least as veering as mine -- he gets it.