TO WIN: Leave a comment ~ with something space related! ENTER BY 12/21. WINNER: Kathryn in Indianapolis, IN!

This is quite possibly the coolest baby playmat EVER ~ well, if i for some strange reason popped out a kid today, this is the one i'd buy. Doesn't matter if its for a boy or a girl, it is gorgeously colorful, intriguing, and has ufos and rocketships! Part of an exclusive collection by Skip Hop for Babies'r'us ~ this is the Skip Hop Outer Space Activity Playmat. So this 33rd giveaway goes out to the babies (do we have any playmat sized readers out there?) and their parents or expecting parents or expecting aunts/uncles/etc! You can read more at Skip Hop as well ~ and more pics of these goodies, as well as my other favorites from the collection (i swear alien rattle looks like a flying spaghetti monster) on the next page!!!

For a chance to win ~ leave a comment with something space related!

TO PAGE 2 of "NOTCOT Giveaway 33: Skip Hop"! ----->

Tags: baby - gifts - giveaway - kids - shopping - toys

Skip Hop's new Baby Log comes with an "Illminated Time Capsule" ~ and with a name like that, what tech loving new dad wouldn't want one to play with? With 4 leds, the time capsule creates a gentle glow, helps parents keep track of the time for every entry no matter how little sleep they are on, and even has a timer for monitoring nap/feeding times... and its tucked away in a canvas covered binder... so as techy as it seems on the inside, it still fits in and looks traditional on the outside. It is a 6-month book to track everything from feedings, changings, doctors visits, gifts and more... and at $39, this one is definitely going on my gifts for new parents lists! And as your child gets older, i'm sure the time capsule will prove useful in new situations as well! See more close up pics on the next page!

TO PAGE 2 of "Skip Hop's Baby Log"! ----->

Tags: baby - books - gifts - kids - shopping

Babies everywhere! Or i'm apparently reaching that age where i have found myself constantly baby shopping for friends suddenly... So is it any surprise that Jill Fehrenbacher, of Inhabitat, in the midst of her pregnancy has launched Inhabitots, the latest addition to the Inhabitat family? Also, the new logo for the calm blue site is an adorable Owl with child! While many of the products there are right up our alley (and have shown up on NOTCOT previously) ~ they are eco-friendly, clean and modern... and my latest discovery on Inhabitots to add to the backup list for new-parent shopping is what is a bit scarily called "Teething Bling" by Smart Mom Jewelry. If you pick the subtler hues, its not a bad necklace/bangle, and the nice thing is, it's completely safe for your child to teeth on, and saves your usual jewelry from the nibble marks. My only worry is... will this help condition your baby to think its ok to chew on jewelry in the long run?

Tags: accessories - baby - fashion - gifts - green - jewelry - kids - shopping

Twilight Turtle is another baby/toddler toy i came across the other day. Made by Sleep Sheep and Friends or Cloud B ~ this turtle is cuddly under its shell, lights up in various colors, and projects the night sky on to the ceiling (or your tent, fort, etc). "Choose from three soothing color options – blue, green, and white – to create magical, tranquil environments that are ideal for helping children of all ages ease into a restful sleep." And it projects 8 constellations for kids to learn. Also interesting is their Sheep Sleep, which plays 4 sounds that comfort babies ~ Mother's Heartbeat, Spring Showers, Ocean Surf, and Whale Songs. You can actually control the volume and it auto times out after 23 minutes. This one even now has a stroller/to-go version. More images of all below!

Honestly, with both of these being priced in the 25-40$ range, they've totally made my list for new parent gifts!

TO PAGE 2 of "Twighlight Turtle"! ----->

Tags: animals - baby - gifts - kids - toys

It's always nice to find a story that incorporates great design and great business. Emily over at Baggu sent me this NYTimes article "From Boutique to Big Time" By Laurie J. Flynn... it's the story of these beautiful Adiri Natural Nursers, the "Ultimate Baby Bottle", basically “Your breast doesn’t feel like plastic. Why should your baby’s bottle?” They've designed a polycarbonate-free plastic nursing bottle that has a soft rubbery grip. From the business side, the interesting story of a yahoo lawyer who's father passes away and leaves her the company.. and how she's gone from a mom with a boutique business to learning to scale up to fulfill large orders from places like Babies R Us... Anyhow, its a good read, and it looks like they've really cleaned up the design with this new model. Check out the new Adiri Natural Nurser and the article.

TO PAGE 2 of "The Adiri Story"! ----->

Tags: baby - gifts - kids - shopping

vedaPURE - on my late night packaging/branding finds... how sweet is this logo? And check out the stuffed elephant that comes in the gift set below. And with product names like Butt, Butt Plus, and Butter.... as well as Supple, Nurture, Scrumptious... and for vedaDUDEs: Glide, Chill, Splash... this is a family line... ok, mostly targeting moms and dads to be, as well as new parents and babies. But nice packaging, and definitely a great go to gift for all those baby showers, etc.

"vedaPURE uses the most pure, high quality ingredients. Our promise and commitment to our customers is simple: we bring nature's best ingredients together to make safe and effective skincare for the whole family. The vedaPURE collection is formulated with organic plant and fruit extracts, soothing oils and gentle ingredients. No hidden chemicals. No misleading labels. Natural pure beauty."

TO PAGE 2 of "vedaPURE"! ----->

Tags: baby - beauty - gifts - health - shopping

SwissMiss has been finding the BEST baby stuff... for people like us. Things like McSweeny's "Baby Be of Use" series by Lisa Brown. I still have no babies, but am tempted to order this set of board books (there's something so satisfying about flipping board book pages)... for future babies, for babies who might visit, for potentially brilliant babies i might meet in airplanes... But seriously, this maybe the the perfect way to leave a hint for that special someone that you want to make you breakfast, make you a drink, fix your car, or help with the banking.

Tags: baby - books - gifts - shopping