car seats and loathing

OBaby hates his car seat. Just being set in it often brings him to tears, and we’re not even talking about the straps yet.Our strapping in process is probably comical to the by-stander, filled with the positive reinforcement of over-done smiles and high pitched happy voices that have the subtlest of “just please don’t cry” tones. And even if we make it sob-free through the shoulder straps and the five-point harness system, we could lose it if the click in is too jolting, I move too slow, or Mars is too in the 8th house. You just never know.I went to a baby super store (where they don’t, in fact, sell babies) and bought an over priced jingly animal figurine to hang from the car seat handle. ‘Maybe give him something to look at?’ I thought. Except it dangles exactly 3.5 inches from OBaby’s eyes and he has to cross them to see it. Fail.Ok, so I have a baby who likes to be held and don’t get me wrong, I love to hold him, but MAMA STILL WANTS TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, which usually involves the car. Some days my nerves are stronger than others and I can stomach the necessary cries that come with getting from point A to point B, but other days I pull over on the shoulder of the highway and try desperately to calm my baby. A couple of times I have cried along with him because there is nothing I can do. Well, other than not leaving the house.But that really isn’t an option.I’m not sharing this to be Nelly Negative, I’m sharing because I need help. I have tried classical music (cranked) singing to him, that dumb $8.00 hanging toy, and finding my happy place, but none of them have had any consistent results.What worked for your kids? Will this end soon? Could his straps be on wrong or is this fear and loathing of a car seat fairly common?Seriously, what’s a girl gotta do to have a tear-free grocery trip?