SNACKS: Gerber Graduates Biter Biscuits (Sammy Bear Pan)

Pros: Satisfactory taste, low choking risk.
Cons: Contains wheat, messy, irritated SB's lip.

I bought these for SB to snack on when he was about 11 months old after determining that he was not allergic to wheat. The biscuits contain wheat flour, which is a potential allergen for young babies, as you're probably aware. Most sources I've read give the guideline of 9-12 months for introducing wheat for the first time to a baby. I gave SB his first morsel of bread at around 10 months, and thankfully, no reaction. I wonder why they don't make more teething biscuits/finger foods without wheat given that many babies get their first teeth before 9 months (SB cut his first teeth at 6.5 months) and it would be helpful to have some snack options that you could pick up quickly at the store. (More industrious moms would just make wheat-free finger foods/teething biscuits from scratch, I know, but I opted for an intermediate solution in Baby Mum-Mum crackers. See my blog post here.) In any case, I thought these biter biscuits would make a nice snack for SB to gnaw on at age 11 months. I read several parent reviews that said that their child loved them, so I thought they'd be a sure hit with SB.

Unfortunately, not so. The first time I gave one to him, he gnawed off a tiny bit off the end and then promptly left it on his tray and ignored it. As always, I had tested the biter biscuit before giving it to SB. It's quite a hard biscuit, so unless your little one has super strong jaws and a good set of teeth, it would be difficult to bite off a piece big enough to be a potential choking hazard, though of course it's always best to monitor to be sure. If you gnaw on it, the biscuit crumbles and dissolves easily in your mouth. The taste was satisfactory - fairly sweet and you can definitely taste the molasses in it. One thing to note about these biscuits is that they make quite a mess. As the biscuit crumbles and melts in your little one's mouth, the sticky bits and pieces get all over their hands, mouth, tray, etc. Even with the small amount that SB ate, he got pretty messy.

My main issue with these biscuits is actually not the fact that SB didn't love them or that they make a mess. It's that they made his lip bleed. Yes, bleed. The morning after I gave them to him, I noticed that his bottom lip had a crack in the skin - kind of like when you have chapped lips and you get a split in the lip skin - and it was bleeding. I thought it was strange but just attributed it to dryness. But this split in his lip lasted for several days, which was strange, because even though his lips do get a tad dry from time to time, they've never cracked and the dryness never lasts for long. After some thought, I realized that the biter biscuit could be the culprit. I tried giving him the biscuit again, and sure enough, soon after, I saw that his bottom lip was irritated again. I'm not sure what in the biscuit caused the irritation. It could just be that, being very hard biscuits, the rough edges irritated his lip skin. I also looked at the ingredients list: Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Corn Flour, Whey (From Milk), Milk, Molasses, Ultra Low Linolenic Soybean Oil, Cornstarch, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin. Nothing too out of the ordinary, though I wonder if molasses could have been the irritant?

I'm not saying that your child will have the same issue with these biter biscuits, but I thought I should mention this problem for reference. SB does have sensitive skin in general, so this could just be something that is particular to him. Just an FYI!

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SNACKS: Baby Mum-Mum Rice Rusks - updated (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Great as a first finger food, low choking risk, tastes good, not very messy, packaged conveniently for on-the-go snack, does not contain wheat.
Cons: Not sold in most supermarkets (have only found them at Walmart and Sam's Club and on Amazon.com), caused me temporary panic b/c they are made in China and contain skim milk powder BUT there seems to be no cause for concern.

I've been giving Baby Mum-Mum rice crackers to SB as a snack since he was about 7 months old, and it was love at first bite. I taste all the stuff I give to SB to see how edible they are, and I have to say that they are pretty darn tasty. The crackers are very light and airy and sort of melt in your mouth as you chew (or mash in SB's case). They have a lightly sweet taste that makes them easy to eat. The box contains 12 conveniently wrapped packages of 2 crackers each - perfect for sticking in your diaper bag for snack time on the go.

After SB's bottom front teeth came in at about 6.5 months, I started looking for a teething cracker or biscuit that doesn't have wheat in it (I read that it's better to wait until baby is 9-12 months old before introducing wheat due to the allergy risk) and couldn't find anything in the grocery aisles, surprisingly. Then I came across Baby Mum-Mums at my local Walmart, which are made of rice, not wheat. Although Baby Mum-Mums aren't exactly a teething cracker, they were close enough for me. I mainly wanted something that SB could practice biting and chewing on. They've turned out to be the perfect starter finger food.

Initially, I would hold the cracker for SB as he chomped on it, but after a little encouragement, he started taking the cracker in his own hand and feeding himself. Yay, his first successful attempt at finger food self-feeding! The crackers were great for giving him finger food practice, since they are easy for his little hands to clasp and big enough for him to find his mouth with it. As you can see from the picture, they have a long oval shape and are pretty thin, so it's easy to bite off pieces. And they don't create much mess at all - a few crumbs here and there. I've found them to be a great distraction for SB when he gets fussy on car rides or in his stroller.

There are a lot of things to like about Baby Mum-Mums. The box highlights the following:

-No Artificial Colors or Flavors
-No Preservatives
-Gluten, Egg & Peanut Free
-Baked, Low in Fat & No Trans Fat
-No Added Fats or Oils

But there is another important thing to note about these crackers. They are made in China AND contain milk powder. About a week after the melamine-tainted milk scandal came to light in China, it suddenly hit me that my SB's beloved Baby Mum-Mums might be one of the foods affected by the tainted milk. I went straight to the web to see what information I could dig up on Mum-Mums and the melamine issue, and...it seems that they are safe. A big sigh of relief. This is what I found:

Statement from National Importers (importer/distributor of the product): This basically states that Mum-Mums contain milk powder imported from New Zealand and that food authorities in China, Australia, Canada, and the US have tested batches of Mum-Mums with results all coming back negative for melamine contamination.

Baby Mum-Mum Official Blog Site: Similar statement to the one above.

Australian Baby Mum-Mum Site: An explanation of the New Zealand origin of the milk powder used in the crackers.

Baby Purity website: This site requested melamine information on Mum-Mums from the company's rep and posted the rep's response.

I decided to continue to feed Mum-Mums to SB based on these statements. But if the statements aren't enough to ease your concerns, then another option to try is their Organic Baby Mum-Mum and Toddler Mum-Mums, neither of which contain skim milk powder. Unfortunately, I have yet to try either of these, because I haven't found any stores that carry them and I haven't been able to find them online.* If you've been able to find them somewhere, please let me know! The original Baby Mum-Mums are a bit hard to find, as well. I haven't yet found them in any local supermarket, but Walmart and select Sam's Club stores do carry them. If your local Walmart or Sam's Club does not happen to carry them, you can purchase through Amazon:

Original Baby Mum-Mums on Amazon
Vegetable Baby Mum-Mums on Amazon

*UPDATE: Amazon is now selling the Organic Baby Mum-Mums and Organic Toddler Mum-Mums, as well as strawberry-flavored Organic Toddler Mum-Mums. In case you still have concerns about melamine, note that these organic versions do not contain any skim milk powder. Amazon price is $15.69 for a pack of 6 boxes. We just received our strawberry-flavored organic Mum-Mums, and SB gives them a BIG thumbs up. Quite tasty, if I do say so myself. (Note: We had an issue with Amazon's fulfillment of our strawberry Mum-Mums order. They sent us just one box instead of the pack of 6 boxes that we ordered. They sent us a replacement order, which again was just one box instead of the pack of 6, so I just had to cancel the order. I did get 2 free boxes of Mum-Mums in the process, but note that you may have a similar issue.)

Retail price (Baby Mum-Mums): Approx. $2-$3/box

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TOYS: Shake, Rattle & Drum (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Sturdy wood construction, drum has real rawhide drum head (not plastic), nice variety of instruments for drumming and shaking.
Cons: The drum and tambourine stick make quite a bit of noise.

This percussion set was our one and only birthday present to SB, and I like to think it's his favorite :) Actually, he really does like it a lot, since two of his favorite activities of the moment are to bang on things and to shake things that make noise.

I chose this set after doing some online research on music toys that SB could bang on that were sturdy (i.e., not made of cheap plastic) and that preferably included a drum and maracas. I initially was going to go for a Melissa & Doug Band in a Box set that included a tambourine (but no drum) and maracas, as I had heard good things about Melissa & Doug toys. But after reading the reviews on Amazon, I decided against it. More than one person commented that their kid broke the tambourine within hours of playing with it, because the cover is made of flimsy material - something like thick paper. So that was that.

Then, I considered a wooden toy drum made by Plan Toys, a company known for making good-quality wood toys in an environmentally responsible way. But after some thought, it didn't seem worth it to pay $19 (or close to it) for a solitary toy drum that comes with only one drumstick.

Next, I considered the Bee Bop Band Music Toy Set by Parents Magazine, because it comes with a whole bunch of toy instruments with a cute bug theme: a caterpillar tambourine, ant jingle bells, a ladybug xylophone, a bee maraca/clacker, and centipede drumsticks for the plastic drum that doubles as a container for all the instruments. Unfortunately, my main interest was in the drum, and several reviews that I read said that the drum's top and bottom are made of flimsy plastic and tore after some use. One mom wrote that her son happily got a year's worth of use out of the drum, but shouldn't toys last through more than 1 year of use?? I do want to note, though, that almost all of the reviews I read on this product stated that their child was very happy with this set, so if you don't care so much about the plastic drum, then this could be a good purchase for you.

SB can be a bit rough with his toys, so I do care about the drum being sturdy. That's why I ended up going up with the Shake, Rattle & Drum set shown above, made by Sounds Like Fun. As you can see from the photo, the drum comes with 2 maracas, a tambourine stick, and a handled castanet. The set is well made, with the main parts being made of wood. The tambourine stick has real metal cymbals, and the drum has a natural rawhide drum head. Really durable stuff, so perfect for SB! The drum has a short rope handle, so you can turn it upside down and use it as a bucket to store the other instruments when not in use. I know that a lot of parents are concerned about the noise factor when it comes to toy instruments, and I have to say that the tambourine stick is pretty loud (which can be a bit annoying), but the drum has a good, resounding sound that I don't find unpleasant. The maracas are very mild in terms of noise level, and the castanet makes a clacking sound that kind of sounds like hands clapping. All in all, you will definitely get a bit of noise with this set, but in my opinion, it's not too bad, and for me, it's worth it for the fun that SB gets out of it.

And let me tell you, SB really loves to bang on that drum with the drumsticks and with his hands. (He also occasionally likes to use the drumsticks to bang on other things in his playroom, but overall, he's been pretty good about sticking to the drum itself). Ever since I've been reading him the book, Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins, which is his favorite book, I've wanted to get a toy drum for him. (In case you're not familiar with this book, it's about monkeys that like to drum on drums. Very cute! See my blog post on it.) Now, I can read him the book and drum on the drum to illustrate what the monkeys are doing. He's really gotten into the other instruments, too. What can be better than shaking things that make noise (besides drumming on a drum, of course)? Recently, SB, his dad, and I had a grand ole time playing the instruments together, with his dad on drums, SB on tambourine, and me on maracas. We made a great percussion band.

I should note that the recommended age level for this set is 3 years+, but I personally think it's appropriate for kids 1 year+. There's nothing in the set that is a choking hazard, and as long as your child likes banging on or shaking things that make noise, then I don't see why s/he wouldn't enjoy this. SB certainly does!

Retail price: $39.99 (can be purchased for $35.99 at sites like Oompa Toys and Amazon)

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SHOES: Robeez (Sammy Bear Pick)

Pros: Good quality leather, flexible construction for healthy foot development, soft sole allows SB to walk more "naturally," cute styles!
Cons: Suede sole is not waterproof, in-sole is not cushioned.

I bought SB this pair of soft-soled Robeez shoes as a pre-birthday present (view shoes on Robeez site). In case you're like me, a newbie to the wide world of pricey toddler shoes, here's a quick description. They're kind of like moccasins in that the whole shoe is made of soft leather (the sole is made of suede, to be exact), which makes them less restrictive on growing feet. Apparently, soft-soled shoes are better for pre- and beginner walkers than rigid shoes, because their flexibility allows for healthy foot development and proper walking. Toddlers grip the floor with their toes for balance when they first start walking, and the soft sole allows them to feel the floor, so it's the next best alternative to walking barefoot. The Robeez have a gathered ankle, so they don't slip off easily, and the suede sole seems to provide a pretty good grip on the floor (i.e., no slip-n-falls).

This information may be all well and good, but the question is how well do they work for SB.

SB has two pairs of shoes - these Robeez and a pair of Stride Rite sandals. SB has become a pretty proficient walker over the last month, but he still stumbles now and then, and I noticed that he does a lot less stumbling with the Robeez. He seems to have a more natural gait with them. I think it's because of the whole "feeling" the floor thing. They slip on pretty easily (except for when SB so conveniently curls his toes) and are roomy enough for his wide, chubby feet, which is a big plus. :) (SB is 12 months old, and I got the 12-18 months size for him.) Also, the leather is good quality. It doesn't hurt that they look very cute on his feet, too. :) Robeez actually offers a lot of cute shoe styles. Check out some sample girl styles and sample boy styles.

One thing to note is that the sole doesn't have any cushioning - it's just one layer of suede. This is good in that SB can feel the floor, as mentioned above, but bad in that it doesn't provide much support for walking over anything but smooth or semi-smooth terrain. I think the shoes are fine for walking over things like the wood chips on playgrounds, but probably not anything bumpier than that. Also, if the sole gets wet, the foot also gets wet pretty quickly - i.e., they're not made for toddling around after it rains. I also wonder if they would make SB's feet hot if he were walking on hot asphalt with them, though I have yet to check that out. [Note: Robeez just recently came out with a new line called Mini Shoez, still with soft soles but designed to look more like a "real shoe" as opposed to a moccasin. The soft soles in this line are water resistant, and the shoes have cushioned insoles. That solves the issues I mentioned above, but unfortunately, they seem to run smaller than the original Robeez. According to the Robeez site, this line comes in sizes up to 18 months, but the 12-18 months size is equivalent to US size 4.5-5, whereas the original Robeez 12-18 months size is equivalent to US size 5.5-6.5. Strange, no? Anyway, that rules out that option for SB.]

Overall, they are a thumbs up for SB, primarily because of their comfort points and the fact that they allow him to walk more naturally and don't constrict his feet. I should note that I mainly bought these shoes for SB to wear inside the home, though he does wear them outside on our patio on occasion. He primarily wears the Stride Rite sandals outside, because they have a sturdier rubber sole (though still flexible), which I thought he needed since he is now walking here, there, and everywhere, including over pebbly terrain.

Btw, Robeez now makes not only soft-soled shoes but also shoes with a flexible rubber sole, called Tredz, for intermediate walkers. I was originally going to get him a pair of those instead of the Stride Rite sandals, but I wanted to have him try them on first, since they are more structured shoes and his chunky feet may have trouble squeezing into them. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a store near me that carries them. That's one issue with a lot of these soft-soled/flexible-sole shoes. I realized after some web surfing that there are a bunch of brands that make these types of shoes (I listed some of the more popular ones below), but a lot of them are either sold online or at boutiques or other small retailers. If you live in a city like NYC, I'm sure it would be easy to locate a nearby store that carries the brand you want, but in my little FL town, not so easy. So if you're the type that wants a try-on before you buy, you may be out of luck. I originally was thinking about going for either Robeez Tredz or PediPeds or See Kai Run shoes, but I didn't want to take a chance on the size. In the process of hemming and hawing, I did a lot of web searching to see what's out there in the realm of soft-soled/flexible sole shoes, and here are some of the ones I found. If you're interested in these types of shoes, hopefully you'll have more luck finding a nearby retailer.

PediPeds:
A lot of moms seemed to be recommending this brand on the forums I visited, along with Robeez, but I was hesitant about them, because some moms mentioned that the leather (not suede) sole is not very skid resistant and can be slippery on smooth surfaces like tile or even wood floors. One mom mentioned that her toddler kept slipping in them when walking around the mall. Unlike the Robeez Soft Soles line, though, they have cushioned insoles, so they provide a bit more protection in that area. They also have a Flex line - shoes with flexible rubber soles like Robeez Tredz for more advanced walkers. Gotta say, though, that the boy styles are not as cute as the Robeez ones. Retail price of original Pedipeds: $32

See Kai Run:
Really cute styles, but they seem a bit pricier than Robeez or PediPeds. They have 3 lines: Smaller (their new line of soft-soled shoes with non-slip rubber pads), See Kai Run (shoes with flexible rubber soles for the intermediate walker), and Eleven (shoes with sturdier leather uppers for the more active toddler/kid). Retail price of Smaller (soft-soled shoe): $32

Preschoolians:
They have 4 levels of shoe wear - from "Crawlers" to "Adventure." They also have a Design Your Own shoe option where you can customize shoes using various style and color choices. Retail price of Crawler (soft-soled shoe): $29.95

Bobux: Similar styles to Robeez. Apparently, this is the "original" soft-soled shoe brand. Made in New Zealand, they are constructed of what they call Eco-leather, which is supposedly buttery soft. Like the other above brands, in addition to a soft-soled shoe, they have an intermediate and advanced walker shoe line. Retail price of original Bobux: $26.50

Ministar by Bobux: I just found out that Target carries a more inexpensive line by Bobux called Ministar. They are made of leather with suede soles just like the original Bobux, but I assume they are made of a lower quality leather given the price difference. Based on the reviews I've read on the Target website, most moms think they're great, but several complained that the suede soles wore out very quickly (one mom said they got holes after about a month) and that the colors faded or bled. Some said that the quality is poor compared to Robeez, but it sounds like they are pretty good for the price. Retail price: $12.99

Pedoodles

Puddle Jumper Shoes

Stride Rite

And last but not least, here are some forum posts that were helpful to me in my search for the right soft-soled shoe:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=927340

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/archive/index.php/t-711998.html

Retail Price of Robeez pair above: $27.95 (retailers like Amazon, Piper Lime, and Zappos carries them)

NOTE: Amazon.com currently has a deal for $10 off $50 orders of Robeez shoes (as of 10/24/08).

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About Us

Sammy Bear ("SB") is an energetic 13-month-old boy who likes to explore and get into all kinds of mischief. He's a regular Curious George. As he grows and changes every month, it seems like we're always looking into new items to adapt to his ever-changing needs, whether it's food, toys, clothes, books, whatever. It's amazing how much stuff a kid can accumulate in the span of just one year! I'm sure you can relate. As SB's stay-at-home "employee," I tend to do a lot of research when I buy things for him to find out what other moms recommend and what are the best deals. Sometimes they hit the mark with SB, sometimes not. SB also receives a lot of gifts from his doting grandparents and many aunties and uncles (both related and not), and oftentimes, it's pretty cool stuff. Here, I list his picks and pans with all the information I've managed to gather about the specific item. Hope it'll save you some shopping-around time and hope you find it useful!

*Sammy Bear character drawn by artist Tabitha Joy.*
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Feedback/Suggestions?

If you have any feedback for this site or any product suggestions of your own, we'd love to hear them! Please leave any feedback/suggestions as comments to this post. Thanks for visiting!

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Unique Holiday Gift Ideas for New Moms

'Tis the season, so I thought I'd start up a list of products that could make useful or fun holiday gifts for new parents, grandparents, etc. I'll keep adding to the list as I come across interesting items. Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments section. Happy Holidays!


Robeez Shoes (Holiday Collection)
Robeez carries soft-sole shoes with a holiday/winter theme that could make a cute holiday gift. They have both boy styles and girl styles. The best part is that they are currently on sale for $19.99 (regularly priced at $27.95). For my review on Robeez shoes, click here.


Shanghai Tang Baby Shoes
If you want to go luxury with shoe gift giving, these Shanghai Tang baby shoes would fit the bill. They are made of silk, and the outsole is made of polyester and suede leather. The Chinese characters for "right" and "left" are embroidered on each respective shoe, which is a cute touch. The shoes come with a silk pouch, as shown above. Available in red, pink, and blue. Sizes range from 0-3 months to 12-18 months, though the blue is only available in size 12-18 months.
Retail price: $63


Beaba Baby Cook
This multifunctional blender could be a great, albeit pricey, gift for moms that prefer to feed their little ones fresh, homemade baby food instead of store-bought. From the Williams-Sonoma website:
"This compact countertop appliance multitasks as a steamer, blender, warmer and defroster to prepare fresh, healthy meals for baby. It starts by steam cooking vegetables, fruits, meat and fish in less than 15 minutes, preserving their vitamins and flavors, then purees or blends them to your desired consistency. You can also use it to quickly reheat or defrost precooked foods."
Retail Price: $149.95 (also available from other online retailers besides Williams-Sonoma)

NOTE: The product originated in Europe and just recently became available in the US. After entering the US market, there was some debate about whether or not this product is Bisphenol-A free. Apparently, the bowl part originally was made of polycarbonate plastic, which is known to contain BPA but as of 2005 is made of polysulfone, a plastic material which sometimes contains Bisphenol-A. According to this article on the site "Healthy Child Healthy World," the Babycook has been tested and found not to contain BPA. The article was written by one of the writers of "Z Recommends," a popular blog that researches and discusses safe baby products.


Pee-pee Teepees
If you've ever changed the diaper of a baby boy, I'm sure you know the risk of getting showered upon by a wayward wee-wee. These little cones made of cotton are designed to protect diaper changers from those little accidents. I don't know how effective they really are, but they are a very cute concept, and as a mom who has gotten sprinkled upon many a time, I'd be willing to give them a try! They come in different patterns, but these Santa hat cones would be especially cute for Christmas. The recipient would probably get a good chuckle out of them.
Retail price: approx. $8-$14 for a pack of 5 cones (available on Amazon and other online stores)

Photo Gift Ideas:
I have always found that a photo gift adds a really nice personal touch to holiday gift giving, and this year, the majority of my gifts to family members is going to consist of photo gifts (with SB as the photo subject, of course), including the Fotoflot listed below.

Fotoflot
This site offers a unique and attractive alternative to framed photos. Instead of frames, glass, and matting, Fotoflot uses a system where it creates mounted enlargements of your photo, which you then can mount on your wall in a way that makes it look like the photo is floating (hence the name "Fotoflot"). It is similar to what you might see at a modern art gallery - very stylish. They provide the mounting bracket and necessary hardware to install it on your wall. A nice aspect of their mounting system is that it involves magnetized mounting, so you can interchange your Fotoflot photos if you have more than one mounting bracket. Here are some examples. If you don't like the idea of mounting brackets on your wall, they also offer desktop options, as well. They offer a variety of shapes and sizes with corresponding prices, ranging from $50 for a 7.5"x10" to $235 for a 20"x30." Prices include hardware and shipping.

Photofiddle
Convert any photo into framed or unframed "artwork" in a style of your choosing - e.g., modern art, Andy Warhol-style pop art, oil painting, watercolor, charcoal sketch, abstract, etc. See samples here. Some of the photos seem to convert really well and others not. I have yet to try it out, but the concept seems neat. A canvas "painting" of your little one's smiling face could make a great gift. A bit pricey, though. For unframed canvas art, prices range from $33.95 for 8" x 8" all the way to $2899.95 for 280" x 70". For a framed art print (not canvas), prices range from $36.95 for 8" x 8" to $2999.95 for 280" x 70".

Photo Book
My mother-in-law saw these being advertised on Oprah as a great way of preserving your kids' drawings (scan, upload, and compile them in a photo book). You could get really creative and turn photos into story books by setting them against fun backgrounds and writing captions. Various photo sharing sites offer them:
Snapfish - Options range from $5.99 for Mini Book to $49.99 for Signature Book. Offers various generic themes under categories like "kids & babies" and "holidays." Use coupon code WINTER08 for 20% off thru 12/31.
Kodak Gallery - Options range from $6.99 for Mini Photo Book to $69.99 for Legacy Photo Book. Offers a few book themes that include Eric Carle (of children's book fame) and Hello Kitty.
Shutterfly - Options range from $9.99 for Snapbooks to $54.99 for Memory Book. Offers many different themes, even ones like Dora the Explorer and Spongebob Squarepants. Limited-time promotion gives you 15%-30% off select photo books. Read more...