As I’ve mentioned previously, we’re potty-training our youngest right now. (Oh joy, oh bliss. We may have bought our last pack of Pull-Ups!!!)

He has caught on to staying dry, so I’m now comfortable attempting short trips. I know the location of all bathrooms, as well as the body language of a young man who needs to pee. We successfully navigated two grocery stores, a super-Walmart, and church. Not so successful at my daughter’s preschool. But all that is to be expected this early in the game.

(Don’t ask about bowel training. I’m budgeting now to bribe him to poop in the potty with a scooter.)

One problem with outings is the actual drive there and back. His car seat is directly behind my seat, outside my line of sight. Knowing I may not be able to prevent accidents-in-transit, I began problem-solving how to protect the seat from accidents. Taking the fabric cover off and on requires acrobat-contortion, which I cannot do easily. Thus, I try to do it as infrequently as possible.

Our first trip out, I placed a folded towel under his bottom.

He remained dry (woo hoo!), but memories of wet swimsuits bleeding into carseat covers haunted me.

Then, as I was fishing around underneath my bathroom sink for a roll of toilet paper, I spotted them. An old package of maxi-pads from about 3 years ago. Thanks to researchers (whose jobs I do NOT envy), willing product testers (I’ve heard rumors of saving used product in freezers for return to the researchers…. shiver. Get it? I crack myself up), and manufacturers of maxi-pads everywhere, these items are now less bulky and more absorbent. So I haven’t used this package, but hate to just throw it out. It’s wasteful, and I hate waste.

Then, as if on fast-forward, my brain began spinning around the bulky pads, the potty-training son, the bath towel, the wet swimsuits…. and out popped a genius idea.

My son’s car seat now has two maxi-pads stuck to the seat area where his bottom goes.

Linked up to Kristen’s Works for Me Wednesday at We Are That Family.