Gift and Entertaining Ideas from the Momtrends Holiday Soiree

During the weeks leading to the Holidays, I’m often busy with kid-centric gift ideas and reviews that I forget to shift gears to focus on friends and adult family members.

Luckily, at the recent Momtrends Holiday Soiree, we were introduced to quite a selection of stylish gift, entertaining and decor ideas.  I browsed gift ideas from the hosting venue, Roberta Freymann; enjoyed delicious non-alcoholic drinks from Welch’s; sipped some Anna de Cordonui bubbly , who also taught us how to wrap a bottle.  We also enjoyed noshing on treats with Nocciolata spread and some Cabot snacks, while learning festive decorating ideas from Teleflora.

With Christmas parties in mind, I finally learned how to do a “goddess” braid, thanks to Glamsquad.  I’ll have to try this for an upcoming cocktail party. Vitabath natural soap is one of my all-time favorites, so I was glad to see the brand at the event.  Santa even made an appearance wearing none other than a Fruit of the Loom hoodie.  I just love the way Fruit of the Loom’s hoodies have a cool pocket within the pocket, perfect for holding an iPhone or other device.

And because the holidays are all about giving, many people brought gently used coats to donate to Baby Buggy, the charitable organization that helps babies and kids in need.  In addition to all of these fabulous gift and entertaining ideas, it was so nice seeing so many of my friends, and take my mind off of my ongoing frazzled state.

As always, we left the Momtrends event with a gracious gift bag with goodies from many of the aforementioned brands.  I’ve been a longtime fan of Alladin products, so I was excited to find a cool mason jar drinking cup inside.  Also, at the event, I won the raffle for super chic, but affordable Denizen jeans.  All in all, it was a lovely evening well spent with great friends and fabulous finds.

All photos are courtesy of Momtrends

Activision Family Game Summit Makes Family Connection

A few weeks ago, Activision, the video game powerhouse, invited us to their annual Family Game Summit.  Held at the Metropolitan Pavilion, this year’s theme focused on connecting through video games.

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Sure, family time should transcend screen time, but Activision presented a solid case on how and why video games often connect family, regardless of age or interest.  This year’s celeb guest host was Korie Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame.  She talked briefly about how their family connects, and her thoughts on the business, among other things.

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As usual, I found the stats to be the most interesting part of the event.  I learned a few key takeaways, including:

  • Fun means different things for everyone
  • Free doesn’t always mean free
  • Actively manage your online parental controls
  • Your kids’ friends lists are not always friends
  • Check your kids’ profiles for publicly facing information

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And, of course a Family Game Summit wouldn’t be a summit without a showcase of the latest new games.  Just in time for the holidays, Activision spotlighted just a few titles that are all about family fun. The titles featured at the event were:

Angry Birds Star Wars, Wipeout Create and Crash, Transformers Ultimate Battle Edition and Ultimate Autobots Edition, Skylanders Swapforce, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Moshi Monsters Katsuma Unleashed and SpongeBob Square Pants Plankton’s Robotic Revenge

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Our most favorite of the lineup is, of course, Skylanders Swapforce.  As diehard Skylanders fans, this franchise continues to keep the family gaming going.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Angry Birds are also fun games that require patience and strategy.  I’ll post separate reviews for the aforementioned, so check it out soon.

As with previous Activision Family Game Summits, we were able to bring kids.  My boys had a blast in the kid zone playing with new friends, coloring and going crazy.  A definite highlight though, was schmoozing with TMNT and Sponge Bob! I mean!

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Once again, Activision outdid themselves with a lovely and informative event promoting co-playing and family bonding over video games.  Of course, as with everything, moderation is key, so don’t go playing video games all day and night.

Thanks to Activion and the other sponsors, we were sent home with a very generous gift bag with samples and other branded material.  I love that Amazon also had a presence there, and I learned all about Amazon Prime and got to know their latest Kindle a little better.

All in all, it was yet another lovely event, where I learned interesting information about family time and video games!

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Full disclosure:  Activision provided us with a gift bag  As always, all opinions are my own.

Cyber Monday Deals for Kid Clothes and Gear

I love bargains, and many are to be had right now.  I gathered a few more great deals from retailers that I personally shop from for my kids and nieces and nephews.  Here are just a selection of great Cyber Monday deals for kids’ clothes, gear and more!

American Eagle Outfitters Cyber Monday Sale
Store: American Eagle Outfitters
Discount: 50% off sitewide via coupon code “94C486V1”
Shipping: Free shipping

Hollister SoCal Beach Party Sale
Discount: 50% off sitewide
Shipping: Free shipping
Expires: December 2

TheChildren’s Place Cyber Monday Sale

Discount: Up to 40% off with an extra 30% off via coupon code “CYBERPLACE”
Shipping: Free shipping
Expires: December 2

Gymboree
Discount: 40% Off Sitewide
Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $50
Gymboree rewards members get free shipping

Janie and Jack
Discount: 25% off Sitewide

Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $75

Ruum
Discount: 40% off site wide, use the code 648
Shipping: Free shipping

Land’s End
Discount: 30% off site wide
Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $50

Toys R Us
Discount: Select deals, including several BOGO 50% off

Diapers.com
Discount: select Cyber Week deals on basics, toys and gear, including 30% off of Britax carseats
Shipping: free shipping on orders over $49

Target
Discount: various deals, including some great ones using Cartwheel

Shipping: free shipping on orders over $50


Cyber Monday Toy Deals on Amazon

Happy Cyber Monday, all! I hope you’re recovering well from the Thanksgiving holiday.

Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day coined by the National Retail Federation due to the influx of online spending after returning to work following the Thanksgiving break and Black Friday hullabaloo. Experts say they’re expecting upwards to 131 million to be shopping today.

That said, I’ll be doing a little bit of shopping myself today—some for myself, some for the family and of course, just perusing the sales themselves.  With all the buzz about Cyber Monday deals, I thought I’d share some of the hottest deals on kid-related goodies.

First off: Amazon has some excellent toy deals.  And while I often feel overwhelmed by Amazon’s overall site (is there anything they DON’T sell?), it’s so convenient to shop at one spot for a myriad of items.  One of their hottest deals of the day is select Fisher Price and Mattel toys are half off or more.

Aside from Fisher Price and Mattel, Amazon also has several other deals worth noting, including select VTech Toys and one of my personal favorites, the Air Hogs Helix.  I imagine these deals will go quick, so be sure to check them out!

Here are just a few of my favorite deals that are tried and true:

Mike the Knight Glendragon Castle Playset $17.99, regularly $34.99

Skate and Spin Dora is down to $19.99 from $39.

Fisher Price CornPopper is just $7.49

Vtech slide and talk smart phone is $9, regularly $29.99

Monster High 13 Wishes Party Lounge & Spectra Vondergeist Doll Playset $15.99, down from $34.99

Air Hogs Helix X4 is $60, regularly $80

Happy shopping!

Holiday Shopping: There’s an App for That!

As we’re in the throes of reviews and prepping for the upcoming holidays, I’ve also been busy scoping out the sales and deals.  I not only love the impending holiday season and excitement surrounding the festivities, like so many others, I get such a thrill from the anticipation of the glorious day: the family, food, fun, celebration and of course, gifts.  I absolutely love giving gifts, so naturally, I love shopping for those gifts just as much.

The holidays go beyond the commercialism and overindulgence.  In fact, I truly believe in streamlining the shopping process as much as possible in order to enjoy the festivities later on.  The most obvious tips: shop early and shop online as much as possible.  But for those of you who much prefer the brick and mortar shopping experience, there are many ways to save money and sanity.  And of course, there’s an app for that!

Here are just a few of my favorite mobile shopping and list-making apps, which are perfect for shopping in general and quite timely for holiday shopping.

Pinterest

In lieu of a paper and pen, this year I’ve turned to Pinterest to bookmark potential presents and gift ideas for my guys.  I’ve been pinning presents onto my list, usually directly from the retailer’s site.  Most social media savvy retailers now have Pinterest icons, which makes list-making easy while you’re at home.  But when you’re on the go, pulling up said lists are convenient when accessing the Pinterest app.  The camera option on the Pinterest app comes in handy if you want to add an object that you see at a store.  I always make it a habit to take photos of cool things I want in a store.  With Pinterest’s camera capability, I can actually catalog those photos on my boards.

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Pinterest just keeps getting better and better.  Case in point: let’s say you’re at a cool store in a different town, you can add a geographical location to your pin.  This feature would be helpful to remind you where you were and to also tell others who may be interested in buying this product.

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As with all geo-tagging posts or photos, be smart!

Red Laser

Red Laser is one of my favorite and most-used apps.  When I first got my iPhone, this was one of the first apps I used.

imageWho doesn’t love to scan their own items!?  This app is primarily used to scan upc barcodes to find prices.  They’ve updated the app to where you can now “favorite” or “add to list.”  If you’re shopping for a big ticket item or looking to find the best deal, Red Laser comes in handy.

After scanning an item in the store, you can see how much it’s offered else where.  Beware though, sometimes, the app will show pricing from Ebay or another retailer that may make it hard to pricematch.  One of my favorite updates to this app is that you can now input loyalty cards.  I love that all 5 billion of my loyalty cards will now have a home on my phone, rather than in my bulging wallet.

Time to Play Shop For Kids App

New to the shopping app scene: my friends at TimetoPlayMag.com recently debuted the “Shop for Kids” App.  This app is quite timely as we descend on the toy stores and big box retailers while we’re on the hunt for the must-have goodies and gadgets.  The free app gives you access to TTP’s credible reviews, as well as provides a live price comparison tool and a link to their daily giveaways.  According to a recent article on Bloomberg, EMarketer points out: “Mobile devices can drive two ways—by allowing users to buy items on their smartphones and tables, and as research tool that could lead to in-store purchases.”

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On a recent “research” trip to Target, I strolled the boy toy aisles in search of something fun for my older guy.  Biggie is all into TMNT like many boys his age, but WHICH vehicle would excite him the most this Christmas?  I pulled up the Shop for Kids App and scan two different versions of the Shellraiser vehicle.  Through the app, I found that TMNT Shellraiser Vehicle is $17.99 online yet on the shelf (as seen in my picture), it’s $23.49. That’s a $5.50 difference!
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Granted, online prices are different than in-store prices, but sometimes you can find a much better deal online AND free shipping.  Back to the Shellraiser, because I couldn’t decide between two different vehicles, I loved that the “Shop for Kids” App provides reviews, which, for me, is often the tiebreaker!  Since the RC Shellraiser had better reviews, I added that toy to my aforementioned Pinterest Christmas list. The Shop for Kids App is available for both iOs and Android.

With the accessibility to shopping apps via smartphones, shopping in-store has never been easier.  Happy shopping!  If you score a great deal with one of the above apps, let me know!

Trick or Treating with Moose Toys Trash Pack and Glitzi Globes

Halloween has always been one of my most favorite times of year. The crisp, cool air, costumes, monsters—oh, and the treats!

With two younger guys, we love getting all into the Halloween fun. I’ve made the boys’ costumes the past two years, and even threw something together for myself too! We went as a Star Wars-themed group with Biggie as Luke Skywalker as an X-Wing Fighter Pilot, the babe as Wicket the Ewok and me as Leia. We had a blast with it, and I’ll always have the boys’ smiles and laughter from the Halloween festivities etched in my mind. Having missed out on two Halloweens in a row, this year made it that much more special.


And speaking of special, one of the Halloween events we enjoyed this year was our community’s trunk or treat. Trunk or treat was a fun way to connect with our lake friends while watching our costumed kids parade around the parking lot. And once again, we teamed up with Moose Toys to hand out some fabulous non-candy treats. As superfans of Trash Pack and a new adoration for Glitzi Globes, I’m not sure who was more excited about our treats.


In fact, as our box of treats arrived, I immediately posted a Vine of the uber cool Glitzi Globes. I’ve been collecting snowglobes for as long as I can remember, so the concept of being able to create tiny collectible globes almost blew my mind.

It turned out, the Glitzi Globe samples that we handed out at Trunk or Treat were quite the hit. Several friends came by not two or three times, but as many as five! I don’t blame them!

The tiny glittery globes that are put together with a few drops of water transform into cutesy collectibles. Glitzi Globes make a fun activity and if you’re like me, they make for a fun new obsession. Like the big kid I am, I have my eye on the Mega Dome Showcase. I just need a girl of my own to help me out with toys like these! Or, I can just get them for myself, ahem.

Trash Pack are definitely a mainstay as well, so it was equally awesome to hand out sample packs of those too. Both boys and girls had a fun time comparing characters. And best of all, after all the parties and candies and trick or treating the kids did this year to make up for last year, it was great knowing that we handed out non-candy treats that we know and love instead of adding to that sugar rush.

A big thanks to our friends at Moose Toys for helping us spread the fun for a very special Halloween.

Full disclosure:  we were provided with samples, but were not compensated for this post.  As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Mondo DuckTales Posters are Throwback Awesomeness

If you were a kid of the 90s, or knew someone that was, then perhaps the classic Disney cartoon DuckTales has some significance.  My younger brother who is 6 years younger than me, watched a whole different set of shows as a kid, including DuckTales, that crazy cartoon about Scrooge and those mischievous nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie.  My brother watched that show for years, and until recently, I haven’t thought about those fun characters.

On the heels of the newly released DuckTales: Remastered video game, Disney.com’s blog Oh My Disney collaborated with pop-culture art gallery Mondo to create a limited edition DuckTales poster series.

Even though my kids don’t know who these guys are, I’m tempted to buy a few of them for their playroom.  So fun!  Check out MondoTees.com to snatch these posters up.

Super Buddies is fun, furry and family-friendly

Those adorable pups are back for another installment in Disney’s “Buddies” Franchise.  Super Buddies, out tomorrow, August 27, is a fun, furry and family friendly adventure that follows the cutest caped crusaders.  In Super Buddies, Budderball, Mudbud, B-Dawg, Buddha and Rosebud discover mysterious rings that grant them each a unique super power.  Each pup has their own ability and are eager to rescue, despite the evil lurking in the form of a shape-shifting alien.
Since we’re major Disney fans, we got a big kick out of Super Buddies.  Biggie, in fact, has watched the movie every chance he gets!  I will say, though, the alien is a bit freakish, which made my 5 year old wince quite a bit.  Beyond the eye-covering, Super Buddies makes for a fun family movie, and one that everyone giggled and enjoyed.  Does it get any sillier than super hero puppies?  The littles are sure to enjoy this one!

If you love Super Buddies and want to check out a clip before heading out to buy tomorrow, be sure to check out some clips.  While you’re clicking, feel free to grab some fun activities at the below links.

Download Activity Games

Full disclosure:  I was provided with a sample to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Going Back to School with Staples

A few weeks ago, I was invited by Staples to take a peek at their latest back to school gear at their #StaplesHasIt event in NYC. Not only did I get a good look at all the latest wares that the retailer had to offer for students and teachers, but we learned about their new Reward-A-Classroom Program AND had the chance to hobnob with a celeb.

For the trend setters, be on the lookout for these fun styles and great gear:

Back to Neon

Neon isn’t just hot with clothes and accessories, this hot trend continues to overlap onto school supplies and other kid gear. Both Jansport and Puma offer neon backpacks; Bold pink, orange, blue and lime green hues are featured in the Quilted Collection of zipper binders, pencil pouches, tablet cases and clipboards. As a writer on the go and serial volunteer (and forever a college kid at heart), my personal favorites for my bag are the Studio C Neon Zip-It 1 Subject Notebook and Neon Sharpies.

Exclusive Patterns and Designs

Staples offers unique designs on products like the Better binders, sticky notes and index card holders, which give a nod back to the 80s, but still keep it functional and cool.

Twinkle, Twinkle

Going a bit further, school supplies are lighting up with cool fiber-optic treatments. (Y’know, just in case you should ever find yourself doing homework at a rave.) The Glo-Lite collection featuring staplers, rulers and dry-erase boards ($6.00-$8.99), lights up when pushed. Fiber Optic Pencil Pouches twinkle in cool designs including shoe, piano and paisley ($6.99). Need a lunch bag that lights up? #StaplesHasIt. Of course they do.

Locker Sweet Locker

I thought I was the coolest with my awesome locker shelves way back when. Staples steps it up with Magnetic Motion Sensor Locker Chandelier ($19.99) that has seven LED lights, a Glo-Lite Magnetic Pencil Bin ($8.99), to unique glitter rugs ($9.99) and magnetic wallpaper ($5.99).

Tech You Can Touch

Acer Aspire Touch Laptop is very portable at only 11.6 inches and at an affordable pricepoint: $479.99). For even more accessibility and portability, Staples has tablets like the HP Slate 7 with Beats ($169.99), Samsung Galaxy II 7 inch ($195.99) and Samsung Note 8.0 ($399.99), Google Nexus 7 16GB ($199) and Kindle Fire HD 8.9” 16GB ($269).

Jansport sleeves combine fashion and function with a wide assortment of tablet sleeves from animal prints to plaids to neon accents. The Jansport Superbreak Sleeve is a durable and fashionable way to carry a 15-inch laptop like a backpack ($29.99).

Nothing Basic About It

Staples also offers fun basic supplies with novelty features, including: Staples Flexible Calculator, Scotch Magic, the Chameleon tape dispenser ($9.99) actually changes color when touched; Post-It Pop-up Note Karate Dispenser ($9.99) that puts post-it notes at your fingertips and Woodland Animal Pencil Pouch ($5.99) available in a variety of fuzzy critters.

Let’s Do Lunch

I’m all about creating fun lunches, so I appreciate Staples’ lineup of lunch accessories: The Fit & Fresh 14 Piece Healthy Lunch Set with proportioned containers and ice packs that snap into the lids ($14.99); Cool It! Ice packs ($10.99); and the LEGO Lunch box ($14.99).

Reward A Classroom

With many teacher friends and as a mom to a Kindergartener, I absolutely love the premise behind Staples new Reward A Classroom. In addition to the 5% back in rewards all members earn, parents can now earn extra rewards for the teacher of their choice with the Reward A Classroom program. Here’s what teachers get when parents shop:

2% back in rewards on everything, including postage, phone/gift cards and savings passes
5% back in rewards on every Copy & Print purchase

Teachers
Visit staples.com/rewardaclassroom to join the program. Make sure to tell parents and friends to link to your account so they start earning rewards for your classroom.

Parents
Visit staples.com/rewardaclassroom and select the teacher you’d like to earn extra rewards for.

There’s always a photo-op

And as a special treat, we Biggie and I had the chance to chat with Nick Cannon, host of America’s Got Talent. Nick was onhand to promote Monster NCredible Headphones. I’ll review those in a separate post, but it was fun meeting Nick, or as Biggie described, “the guy from American Idol.”

Disclosure:   I was provided with a gift bag at the event, but as always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Baby Gear Fit for a Prince

Last week, Prince William and Duchess Kate of Cambridge welcomed their first child, the royal heir, George Alexander Louis. What was one of the most watched pregnancies and anticipated births of our generation, the royal baby made quite the entrance.

Every new baby is so sweet and special, though many people (myself included) have an invested interest in the royal family.  And just as we’ve been watching Kate’s practical fashion choices, as well modern-classic maternity style, not surprisingly, many parents are zeroing in on Kate and Wills’ baby gear.

Wills and Kate have been dubbed a modern royal couple, so it’s quite fitting that in just their first week of parenthood they’ve showed that their taste for baby gear is smart and modern, too. From sleek cribs to baby socks, just like any baby, the royal heir will be adorned with baby gear hand picked by his doting parents and loved ones.

Though it’s highly unlikely we’ll get a look inside the royal nursery any time soon, if we had the chance to hand-pick items for the royal heir, here are just a few of the goodies and gear we’d recommend:

Baby Gear Fit for a PrinceBaby Gear Fit for a Prince by jenrab on Polyvore

1. 4moms Bassinet

This tech-enabled stroller that’s known to turn heads is getting its own new addition.  The 4moms Origami will soon add a bassinet to its lineup of cool accessories, making this stroller an even sweeter ride.

2. Nuna Leaf

The Nuna Leaf’s sleek design and functionality make this seat a practical addition to any new parents’ aresenal of baby gear.  By soothing baby with just a push, the Leaf would give the royal new parents a little bit of extra help.

3. Stokke MyCarrier

There’s a countless amount of carriers on the market today, but this sturdy carrier boasts three positions, underscoring comfort, convenience and closeness.  Having tried out my fair share of carriers over the years, this carrier, hands-down, is my most favorite because of its ergonomic design and the fact that baby is always close enough to kiss.  With an 18-month old with developmental delays, my guy isn’t walking yet.  So, for me to still be able to comfortably carry my 25-lber in a carrier and not ache speaks volumes about the convenience of the MyCarrier.

4. Mamas and Papas Plush Toy Mini Red Bus

Mamas and Papas, one of the coolest british imports to the US, has a whole host of great, modern baby gear.  The iconic Double Decker Bus is a fun nod to the company’s British roots, and one that’s totally suitable for the Royal Baby.  The plush stroller toy, like others in the Mamas and Papas lineup, attaches to a stroller and has a chewable C-ring.

5.  Eurotub

Perhaps one of the most versatile baby tubs on the market, the Eurotub can be used from the infancy stages all the way up to toddlerhood.  The incline and overall size of the Eurotub make this a favorite for many modern parents.

6.  Timi and Leslie

Timi and Leslie has a fashionable selection of diaper bags, suitable for all types of parents.   The Charlie Diaper Bag in Teal has a sleek silhouette and functionality, fit for a prince or princess.  The best part of Timi and Leslie diaper bags are that most of them come with several feeding and changing pockets and accessories, making this brand one of my most favorite diaper bags.

7.  Bamboobies

Bamboobies’ name, alone, deserves the royal treatment.  It’s said that Kate is breastfeeding her new son.  Whether or not she, it’s important to support great mamas and their decisions. But for many new nursing mamas, it’s easy to get caught up in all the breastfeeding accoutrements and information.  Truth is, in the early days, great support and breast pads are all you need.  Bamboobies are absorbant, made with natural fibers and practically invisible under clothes. These heart-shaped bamboo breast pads are ideal for new nursing mamas.

8. Charlie Banana in William

Charlie Banana makes eco-friendly diapers aka a cloth diaper.  These soft, fluffy and fashionable diapers come in a variety of colors, but its the William that is eye-catching, suitable for the newborn royal.  This style which is a nod to the newest royal heir’s dad, is white with funky blue hearts.  My guy has this style in his stash and it truly makes me smile every time I put it on him.  (Taking off, however, is a much different emotion!)

9. Aden + Anais bird print from Jungle Jam collection

When Wills and Kate debuted baby George, they had two swaddling blankets on their new bundle, one of which was Aden + Anais’ bird print from their Jungle Jam collection.  I’ve heralded my love for Aden + Anais many times over here, and it’s no big secret that new parents share the same affection for these cozy, lightweight swaddles.  The best part part of these swaddles is that they’re so versatile and they get softer with every wash.  Having used these swaddles as nursing covers, a sun shade, blanket and, yes, even a swaddle, I love the fact that Kate and Wills validated that these swaddles are, indeed, fit for a prince.  Said to be sold out in the U.K. the bird print is still available in the U.S., alongside of many other fantastic prints.

10. Britax B-Safe

The Royal new parents departed the hospital last week and like most every other parent, strapped their newborn into their carseat and left in their vehicle.  Wills and Kate went with a Britax seat that’s reportedly only available in Europe, butit’s said that the Britax B-Safe carseat is quite similar.  This highly rated carseat has an -fangle-free five point harness, is compatible with Britax B-Series STrollers, has a 30-lb weight capacity, and ergonomic carry handle, among other features.  It’s no wonder Britax carseats are some of the most popular carseats for new parents, including Wills and Kate.

11. Oeuf Elephant Crib

Oeuf’s Elephant Crib is just as eye-catching as it is functional. Oeuf is known for their sleek and modern nursery furniture, but I love that this company’s convertible cribs are made from sustainable forest sources, making it yet another piece suitable for the royal heir and other modern-minded families.

12.  Stokke Tripp Trapp and  Newborn Set

Stokke’s Tripp Trapp is an iconic piece that exudes the style and functionality that many modern new parents seek.  This chair that’s been around for more than 25 years comes in a spectrum of chic colors and can be used from newborn stages all the way up to adulthood.  The Tripp Trapp newborn set is an accessory that allows baby to be cradled at the table.  In addition to the five-point harness and soft cushioning, the newborn set is one of the only accessories that I’ve seen that safely allows you to include baby at the table at mealtime.  Those days of pulling the bouncer next to the table on the floor are over!

13. Tommee Tippee’s Limited Edition Prince

Tommee Tippee’s Closer to Nature line of baby feeding supplies is a favorite for many modern families.  Even though I rarely used bottles, when I did, baby seemed to favor TT’s bottles.  I especially loved that their bottles and breastpumps worked seamlessly together.

Another British brand that’s become an American fave is touting this limited edition Prince style, that’s exclusive to Toys R Us. This limited edition pays homage to the royal heir and is available for pre-order now.

14. Mamas and Papas Urbo Stroller in Turquoise/Navy

Mamas and Papas Urbo stroller is lightweight and trim, ideal for city and suburban life.  The metallic shine on this stroller’s chassis and its ample storage space would make a definite statement if the Duchess chose this modern stroller for baby George.

15.  Earth Mama Angel Baby Breastfeeding Essential Bundle

As I mentioned, in the early days, mama doesn’t need many accessories for nursing a sweet baby.  Although, once everyone gets acclimated, creams, lotions and tea never hurt anyone.  I’ve been a longtime lover of Earth Mama Angel Baby’s products, but I especially love this bundle that includes organic Milkmaid Tea to help with production; Natural Nipple Butter to soothe after those cluster feedings;  Booby Tubes breast packs to soothe during engorgement.  A kit like this is more than enough to hold any new nursing mama over for months to come.

16. Trumpette Peewee Argyle Baby Socks

Another favorite and baby gift staple, Trumpette socks are yet another stylish and functional baby item suitable for the modern babe.  Whether born in July like the Royal Heir or January like my own baby, it’s likely baby will be wearing socks when he or she is out or about.  What’s so fabulous about Trumpette is that they not only stay on, but they come in a bundle of fun colors and look like shoes.  Is there anything as crucial—or cuter—than covering baby toes?