So you’re going home for the Holidays and there’s likely to be a lot of downtime. You could veg out on the couch and numb your brains with TV and movies and infomercials, OR you could play some rad, mind-engaging games with your family. Most of the games on this list involve a bit of strategy and are not your average game of chance, but I’ve included a few that we all know and love already.

I’m going to be straight with you and give you my favorites to start off your list:
Aquire - it’s a game of stocks and merging,
Power Grid - pretty complicated but really engaging once you figure it out,
Scattergories - the best word game out there - in my opinion,
Cranium is a fun party game that is good for both creative and brainy people!

I urge you to go out there and start your own game closet!

ThisNext is launching our FABULOUS Myspace application today! So now you can Wish List all that you want for the Christmakwanzichah holidays… (I’m sorry “world peace” is too much of a Beauty Contestant wish, so save that for your “Q&A” section of the pageant) Browse the TN world o’ goodies, WISH LIST what you want, share it with your family and friends and all your Myspace Entourage. While you’re looking for yourself, go ahead, take notes those hot items as ideas for what to get your Friend’s Mother’s New Husband’s Podiatrist’s Dog as well.

If all you want for Christmas is your two front teeth… then go see a dentist, but if you’re looking for some fabulous gifts this holiday season all you have to do is Wish List it!



Go ahead… install it… be the first on your block to have your very own Wish List… you know you want to!

Our very own ThisNext maven started her own review blog called Mogul Baby! Her blog was created in order to help moms find new and modern baby products! The blog is extremely valuable because it is written from a mother’s perspective. Blog founder, Mrs. Estall stated, “I wanted to create Mogulbaby.com to help people who are looking for that unique baby gift, something different from a new designer or the urban parent that wants to get the latest gear or the pop culture fan who also wants to own the same stuff as celebrities and their kids.” Make sure you check out Mogul Baby’s virtual launch party during launch week so you can have the opportunity to win all sorts of cool giveaways! Support your fellow ThisNext-ers and check out this site!

My mom always used to spend hours making my Halloween costume. I made her turn me into things like a Hershey Kiss or a dog. I’m pretty sure she didn’t enjoy it but I was just so quirky about what I wanted to be. Luckily, ThisNext is pretty determined to save all those parents the time of creating costumes from scratch. We’ve created a list that has a whole range of costumes for your children. That way they’ll have plenty of options to choose from and you can spend your time focusing on your own costume. But hurry… Halloween is coming sooner than you think!

Toys for kids these days are just so much cooler than they were when I was a kid. I was stuck with stuffed animals and plastic food to keep me occupied and out of my parents way. I wish it was socially acceptable to still be able to play with handheld gaming systems or drive Fischer Price convertible cars as an adult. Unfortunately, by society’s standards, I’m too old for that BUT thanks to ThisNext I was able to relive my youth by making a list of cool toys I wish I had had many, many years ago.

Hollywood is abuzz with some very famous babies being born in the last couple weeks and several more on the way. Brad and Angelina welcomed twins Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Léon to their family which now boasts six children. Other notable celebuspawn that joined us recently are Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s baby girl Sunday Rose and Matthew McConaughey and model Camila Alves’s son Levi Alves. Not to mention all of the other babies that are on the way! To name drop just a little bit more, you can expect Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, Minnie Driver and Laila Ali to pop soon. So with all of the celebrity baby births happening, how does a celeb mom keep her baby looking posh? We here at ThisNext have a few ideas on how to keep your baby looking cool in the bright lights of Hollywood.

The Crayola product line has come a long way since the original set of markers and Crayons that we enjoyed as kids. Now you can probably fill up an entire shopping cart with unique Crayola items. I can picture a well-paid think tank huddled around a table trying to devise new Crayola products to facilitate kids’ scribblings. There’s washable markers, ones that only show up on special surfaces, twistable Crayons, markers that change colors, and much much more. The fun never ends!

Crayola Madness!
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All cool stuff to feed the baby Einstein in all of us.

New York-based designer Theo Richardson is obsessed with simple, functional designs. A RISD grad with an interest in “anonymous design”, Richardson takes a studied and meticulous approach to his work, and it shows in pieces like this beautiful, streamlined, yet completely age-appropriate maple and vinyl modular play set for P’Kolino. Richardson is the kind of designer who makes me think about having kids for almost a full two seconds, before I realize I could just buy the table and scrap the procreation - and then I realize I can’t afford either. ($1000 at PKolino.com)

My nephew is going to turn one…. in about 11 days and I’m still high and dry on ideas of what to get him. Because let’s face it, he’s one- the only person that will remember what his Auntie gave on his first birthday will be his parents. My sister and brother-in-law are the quintessential Manhattan couple, which means that my nephew has all of those smart, fancy toys I can’t figure out myself and will probably know French by the age of 3. Which is great, that way he can order for me in a French restaurant, without me sounding like a fool.

In order to trump their smart toy ways, I figured I can buy them something they wouldn’t think of…. home decor for the kid. Yes that’s right, every child needs a bit of color in their life and I’m not talking about a messy bib or diaper… The SkipHop Playspot is perfect for any play room and chic enough for any baby despite it’s Parents’ desired IQ- It comes in a pink/brown combo, blue/gold combo, and brights combo.

                                                           

 

 

With a soft finished surface, the mat is a 72” × 54” and is rated as safe for children of all ages. Which is great considering that most mats are only safe for children 3 and up….

So trump the parents with the baby that has everything in the world with this mat and you’ll definitely be in the top ten list for favorite auntie, uncle, cousin, or ‘I don’t want a child yet’ friend with fabulous taste.

  

I love my nephew, don’t get me wrong…. though I love telling people “it’s not my baby”. When my sister had an adorable bouncing baby boy, I swore I’d be the best aunt in the world. This also meant to my dismay that I’d have to change an occasional diaper. So when I’ve got the kid lock and loaded in his Upper East Side ride (aka Bugaboo), I always bring along the Skip Hop changer.

Besides, when you are trying to rock a hot pair of heels with the bugaboo and coo the words, ‘my sister’s baby’ out all at once to some cute guy passing along… you wouldn’t dare to be caught dead with a boring change pad.

And if you aren’t a baby-less gal such as myself, then you really need this! Because let’s be honest here and admit that being a mother can be quite bland at times. Especially when your days are filled with crying/sleeping/pooping babies, you need a bit of color and fun print in your life.

It also features a compartment to hold, diapers, wipes, and all those creams that babies hate. Comes in green, blue, and red… and perfect for when you need to buy a baby shower gift (I’ve bought so many for friends I should hope that they never compare my gifts) Baby not included.

This aluminium frame, seven speed TrioBike features a two seater stroller that attaches to the front of the bike. You can now push the kids easily while enjoying a bike ride at the same time. The stroller can be  detached from the bike, and used as a push stroller. I bet it will cost you an arm!

spluch

Most baby bassinets look alike, but this one will definately stand out. With design modifications from Heidi Newell, the Ovum bassinet which was first unveiled in 2006, will now feature a rocking base which can be turned on it’s side to act also as a fixed base. Also it allows clear visibility of the baby from all angles. I have no idea when the bassinet will be available. Keep checking the Offi website for updates and release dates.

coochicoos

With so many packaging options at our disposal, those old-school rickety baskets which are typically tossed as soon as the last shred of fake grass is torn through can be easily replaced with a beautiful, reusable box…making your Easter gift even more special. 

Contrary to what Britney Spears might believe, a steady diet of Cheetos and Coke Slurpees does not a healthy pregnancy make. For better baby-nourishing nutrition, you may want to step away from the 7-Eleven and reach for some fish oil supplements, according to a recent post at Babylune. “An Australian study published in The Archives of Disease in Childhood says that women who took fish oil for the second half of pregnancy gave birth to children who performed better on hand-eye coordination skills tests than the control group participants who took an olive oil supplement,” the blog explains.

For first-rate fish oil, turn to Natural Factors RxOmega-3 Softgels. “This is the highest quality fish oil on the web,” promises Alex. “Everyone should take 2 pills a day to stay healthy.”

To get your omega-3 fill through actual food, try snacking on a Nutiva Organic Hemp Seed Bar or scrambling up some Organic Valley Omega-3 Eggs for breakfast (“So delicious and better for you,” notes w0man1nr3d).

...continued: A very unBritney pregnancy

Moms, help me out here.  Are your kids kickin’ it with the BabyLegs or not?

What are BabyLegs, you ask?   We’ll they’re simply covers for your baby’s legs which are designed to make changing diapers a wee bit easier, and also protect the little chubbers as they start crawling everywhere. Here’s what the website says:

Gapiosis: The space between the sock and the bottom of the pant, often accentuated by being held in arms or by being placed in a carrier or stroller…Sweet little baby legs all over the world are being exposed to the chilly air because of gapiosis. Protect their sweet little legs from wind burn and chill…Feet remain free to allow for successful crawling, walking, and dancing. BabyLegs also help keep socks on! They fit most kids from newborns to size 10 - BabyLegs will warm your little ones for a long time. They’re fun to use as arm warmers too!

Blogger and ThisNexter Carolyn D. loves her BabyLegs big-time, “Not only are these unbelievably adorable, they are also useful! No more fighting to change diapers - well, at least not as much fighting! They’re great for little girls to wear under dresses in colder weather, and for protecting the chubby knees of crawling babes!”

And GooGaBaby agrees, “Babylegs are these cute, versatile, legwarmer products for your baby! They’re oh so convenient because 1. they make diaper changing a breeze 2. they’re much easier on those baby knees when your little one starts crawling and 3. they come in such great designs.”

So, are these nifty little leggings insanely useful for mom’s on the go? Or, are they pretty darn cute but not practical for everyday? 

Moms of the world: debate.