A little background - my little guy is #3 and just turned 17 months. I have two other children; a girl who is 5 and a boy who is 3 1/2. Both were within the norms for being potty-trained; my daughter at 2 yrs, 4 months and my son at 2 yrs. 10 months (with an extra two months to get the hang of #2). I am stunned with my little guy. He's very verbal (so unlike the other two at this age) and saying short phrases "I want breakfast", "go downstairs", "I hungry", etc. For the last week or so he is grabbing at his diaper and saying "pee pee" and sure enough he's just peed. We've put him on the big potty with the potty ring a few times and he laughs and hasn't done anything. He's also saying "pee pee" while he goes #2. I try to catch him in time but you know how it goes.

So my question is for those that have had kids express an interest in the potty or knowledge of their body this early, what did you do? Do I sort of try and encourage going on the potty (i.e. put him on it occasionally) or just wait and see what happens over the coming months? I can't imagine him being ready to be potty trained but at the same time I feel like I should run with it if he's interested.

Thanks for any advice/wisdom/help.

I spend a lot of time in baby stores as I had 3 kids in 3 1/2 years. My top recommendation which a PP mentioned is Great Beginnings in Gaithersburg. They are open M-Sat. Their customer service is excellent and they have a great selection of cribs, dressers, changing tables, armoires, etc. BBB also has a pretty good selection.

I like Daisy Baby in Bethesda a lot. Beautiful furniture and excellent customer service but slightly on the pricier side. Bellini in Rockville also has a good selection as well as Wren and Divine.

Good luck!

Hi there! Since I spend quite a bit of time in baby stores, I have some opinions!

Target does have a decent selection of products and you can definitely get your essentials there. However, their return policy is abysmal. You may only return things 3 times per year I believe without a receipt. Invariably, receipts don't make it with the gifts or they get lost.

BRU and BBB are both good "big box stores" with a wide variety of strollers, car seats, high chairs and different patterns. The sales staff tends to be more knowledgeable about baby products since that's all that they sell. BRU has more stores nationwide so if family is out of state then that's a bonus.

My personal choice for best baby store in the metro area is Great Beginnings out in Gaithersburg off of 270. The store is bright, well organized, with a huge inventory of furniture, strollers, car seats, safety gear, etc., etc. The staff is truly a pleasure to work with. It is a schlep out there but I think the customer service is worth the trip. They have recently improved their website and people can easily order things online for you (same for BRU and BBB).

Amazon also has a pretty good selection but I think actually going into the store and trying out the products is quite helpful before your register. Their selection may also be reduced as far as specific patterns and brands go.

Good luck and have fun!

Kim

Hi there! First off, congratulations on your pregnancy! I just wanted to let you know that I have recently started a baby consulting/concierge service called Nursery Know-It-All that caters to the needs of expecting parents. I am a mom of three under the age of 4 and I know how overwhelming it can be with all of the baby supplies and gear out there. My goal is to provide personalized service to help expecting parents select the items that they really need and not waste time and money on things that they don't. Please take a look at my website at www.nurseryknowitall.com if you would like.

Good luck,
Kim


P.S. I got approval from Jeff Steele to post this message about my business.

Hi there! I am a mom of 3 kids in 3 1/2 years and a DCUM. I am starting a baby planning/concierge business called Nursery Know-It-All to assist new parents-to-be with all things baby! My goal is to prevent people from buying unnecessary items and purchase/register for things that are quality items and fit into your budget. The Baby Bargains book is a great place to start but if you are still feeling overwhelmed and would like a little bit of help, please let me know. My website will be "live" at the end of this month. My email is kim@nurseryknowitall.com.

Good luck with your pregnancy!
Kim