another car seat help request

[Honey693]

DD1 is 28lbs and 36 inches (most of it is torso, she has super short legs) .  She just outgrew her Scenera rf-ing and she can't using it ff-ing b/c she doesn't have the inch of clearance on top of her shoulders with the straps on the top slot.  DH is annoyed we have to buy another car seat and just wants her in a booster.  I am not ok with this b/c she's not even three and I know she'd be jumping all over the car and not sitting right.  DH thinks we should try and see if she'll sit normally.  Um no.  So please help me find a seat.  An ideal seat would be are cheap, preferably rf-ing, but not required, can transition to a booster and isn't too hard to install (that's the least important though). 

[chickabiddy]

You don't need an inch of clearance between shoulders and top slot when forward-facing.  The straps need to be at or above the shoulders.

[Honey693]

I don't knwo where I got an inch from *Scratches head*  Either way she doesn't fit in the Scenera anymore frf-ing or ff-ing.

[mama2soren]

Are her shoulders above the top slot of the Scenera?  If not, she can still use it FF.  As long as her shoulders are at or below the level of the straps, she's ok.  Most 2 year olds fit FF in a Scenera.

A 2 year old is absolutely NOT SAFE in a booster under any condition.  (Nor is a 3 year old, for that matter!).  If her shoulders are above the top slots, thus making the Scenera truly outgrown, a great seat to look at would be the Evenflo Maestro.  It runs about $80, and should last most kids until a safe boostering age (5-6 for most children).  The Maestro does convert into a good booster, but it is outgrown in booster mode almost instantly, meaning a dedicated booster (like the $50 Graco Turbobooster) would be a few years into your future.  If you want one-stop-shopping, the Graco Nautilus would be a good bet.  Sometimes you can find them on sale for $125-ish.  A Nautilus will likely fit her until 5-6 in harness mode, and it makes a great booster.

If you want to RF her again, there are many options.  However, none of them would convert to decent boosters.  The Complete Air would be one of the tallest seats, which would last her RF for another year or two, then work FF until boostering age.  It runs $160-170.