Hey all,
Between the new job and winter I have barely touched the boards. Wanted to see what everybody had been up to.

Me: Got a new job supporting exponentially more clients, and juggling all their networks. Very fun and challenging but time consuming. Only a few website updates, but registration is running.

Truck: Not been used much except in the snow and occasional commutes. Starter literally fell out off in January, spent an hour in the cold getting it back in. Arranging to have my rust taken out and new metal welded in, resisting the urge to get a whole new paint job but it might be better done this spring. Looking at those Red/orange colors so I won't have to do the door jambs but still get a more interesting color.

 

I guess the biggest change will arrive in about 1.5 months, our first baby, a daughter. We may have the beginnings of a "trail diva" on our hands. I'll have to look for a solid baby seat for offroad excursions.

 

Very cool! Let me know what you find on the car seat arena. The problem with car seats imo is the lack of good head support. Baby's necks aren't the strongest and the head tends to wobble a bit too much if the road gets rough. Now that we have to keep kids in car seats until they're nearly 10, I'd like to know which seats work best for the active crowd. I don't remember consumer reports testing this ability.

Chris

 

My opinion is don't put your baby in the rig to offroad until they are old enough to hold their head up substantially on their own. I would also suggest that you wait until they can sit in a forward facing car seat, 20/lbs and 1 year old. My two boys are now two and three and love getting the chance to go riding in "daddy's twuck" even if it is just to go get some groceries!

I would also recommend the "Mighty-Tite" product that acts as a come-a-long for fastening in car seats very snug with little effort. Makes swapping car seats a breeze! About $17 but well worth it. Trust me!

 

About 3 more weeks to go until baby arrives. Been busy painting the baby's room and furnishing it.

I've held off from buying a baby seat for the 4Runner, we got one for my wife's Acura. I'm going to run a post in the general area asking for baby/child seat opinions for the 4Runner with going off road in mind.

 

You've got plenty of time to change that room over and over before the baby comes. This will be your wife's idea of course. I think I reorganized Abby's room 4 times before she was born.

Chris

 

Like the original post for this thread a year ago, have been holed up for the winter, working with yet another client, but some interesting develoments for 1Q '05.
Long story short, I may be moving to Wyoming, wife may be getting a job offer out there and we have been itching for a major relocation. If we do go I would sell my truck, cuz it would cost too much to get it out there, would only need one vehicle and her car is newer. May know as soon as tuesday.

 

Well, it's official, I'm about to disqualify myself from membership in VA4ROC. Moving to Wyoming. So once again the website will be up for a new webmaster when I get out there. Also John, I'd like ot get my FSM back so I can sell it with the truck, maybe we could all get together one last time...

 

So,you'll be us Coloradans northernly neighbor;welcome to the west.

 

Thanks for the howdy neighbor... Wish I could take the truck with me, I could definitely use it. If the sale doesn't go very well I may reconsider paying someone to take it out there...

 

congrats on the baby... mine is jsut over 9 weeks old now.... do not take her offroading for a couple years at least... the babies body cannot handle the ride..... trust me, you wont have time to go offroading either..... you dont see it now, and thats understandable, shes not here yet... you really have no time, and get those modifications done on your truck now, you wont get the chance later on... because while moms sleep pattern is all screwd up and shes nursing, you get to play the role of husband and wife, menaing you do the laundry, go grocery shopping, all that stuff...

 

got some links for you... there is no really good head supporting seat, so again, hold off on wheeling for at least a couple years.... some of these are all in one, some are neborn, some are just boosters.. they are not all the same...

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...381559-7510408

http://store.summitracing.com/defaul...Ntt=child+seat

http://www.eddiebauer.com/eb/product...oduct_id=26776

http://www.car-safety.org/latch.html

 

LOL, just looked at this... ha, i guess you figured out the car seat stuff, your duaghters like 11 months old now

 

Cool, where in Wyoming are you moving? Take your truck if you can, there's tons of places out there to wheel and you won't mind having an older truck that can withstand some dents & new pinstripes!

 

Going to Laramie, but it turned out to be a problem to get the truck out there, otherwise I'd keep it. I can't drive it out, too expensive to have a company drive it, and can't find someone else to do it without covering airfare back, etc. It kinda sucks, I wouldn't be selling it if not for this move and am going to take a hit financially since I have so much invested and havn't driven it long enough to ROI. At least this is the only major sacrifice to be made for the move, otherwise we have a lot to gain.