What Happened in Baby’s World 2012

The world is constantly changing, and 2012 certainly was no exception to this everlasting march towards a better future! But for some of us, this article will be much less about retrospection and more about documenting the moments most relevant to our history that coincided with the birth year of someone very special: a beloved child! So without further delay, BabySakes.com presents…What Happened In Baby’s World, 2012 Edition!

Influential Heads of State in 2012

• USA: President Barack Obama
• UK: Prime Minister David Cameron
• Canada: Prime Minister Stephen Harper
• North Korea: Kim Jong-un
• China – President Hu Jintao
• France: President Nicolas Sarkozy
• Germany: President Christian Wulff
• Italy: Prime Minister Mario Monti
• Russia: President Vladimir Putin
• Iran: President Mahmoud Ahmajinedad
• Afghanistan: Hamid Karzai

 Major News Stories of 2012 (in no particular order)

Source: Time.com,

1. Syria’s Civil War – The end of 2012 marks the second year that the Syrian people have been involved in a civil war between government and civilian rebels. The war was incited in February 2011 after a peaceful uprising against their leader of government, President Bashar Assad. Many parts of the country are now under rebel control with estimates of 40,000 dead after two years of conflict.
2. Re-election of President Obama – After a long campaigning season, President Obama was re-elected to another term in office, beating out Republican candidate Mitt Romney and smaller party candidates. Looming over his continued presidency were the“fiscal cliff” that could trigger spending cuts and increased taxes at the New Year, the idea of ObamaCare, and wars overseas.
3. The Eurozone Crisis – Citizens in countries across Southern Europe, including Greece, Italy, and Spain, protested in 2012 against austerity measures (spending cuts that proportionally cut back on funding for public services and benefits) imposed as conditions for bailouts from other countries due to growing debt. Unemployment reached nearly 25% in Spain. Citizens began turning against political parties associated with those who would be bailing them out.
4.  Hurricane Sandy – In October, Hurricane Sandy hit portions of the Caribbean and proceeded to ravage the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern US, and parts of Eastern Canada. A Category 2 storm at its peak and the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, the storm took out power for millions of residents, flooding streets and destroying infrastructure, resulting in $60 billion in damages and 131 dead.
5. Crisis in Mali – After being deemed a Democractic success, Mali descended into political turmoil in 2012. A military coup ousted the democratically-elected government in March, turning the northern regions of Mali into areas of rebel control by multiple ethnic/ideological groups. The relocated government is currently working on strategies to reclaim the land.
6.  NASA on Mars – NASA’s rover, Curiosity, landed on Mars in August, taking stunning photographs of the planet’s surface. It is currently searching for environments suitable for microbial development – a primitive form of life.
7. Afghanistan Moving to a Close – After an 11-year war, the US has plans to withdraw troops at the end of 2014. 2012, however, saw the reduction in troops from allies, such as the French, who withdrew their troops at the end of the year. Drone strikes were also ramped up by the Obama Administration.
8. Amnesty for Undocumented – President Obama signs an executive order that provides relief from deportation to undocumented immigrants under the age of 30 who have been brought into the US before the age 16. While providing amnesty to 1.7 million youths, this sparked a discussion between both parties about creating more comprehensive immigration reform.
9. Focus on Gay Marriage – President Obama announces his support for gay marriage and nine states in the United States pass gay marriage as a legal right: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Maine, Maryland, and Washington State.
10. Red Bull Stratos Jump – Felix Baumgartner of Austria, sponsored by Red Bull, performed a near-space skydriving feat (at 128,100 feet), breaking the sound barrier AND the record for the highest and fastest jump in history. He also became the first man to break the sound barrier outside of a vehicle.

 Stock Market and Economy

Source: Time.com

The housing market bottomed out in 2012 and slowly began to climb up. Improvements were made – the number of foreclosures hit 57,000 in September, a sharp contrast from double that number in 2010. The Federal Reserve reports that outstanding debt is increasing, although student debt surpassed credit card debt this year.

In September, the Dow reached its highest level since the start of the recession in 2007 and it has gained more than 20% this year alone.

Top Selling Music Albums of 2012

Source: Billboard

1. “Red,” Taylor Swift
2. “Les Miserables – Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack,” Various Artists
3. “Take Me Home,” One Direction
4. “Unorthodox Jukebox,” Bruno Mars
5. “Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head,” T.I.
6. “Night Visions,” Imagine Dragons
7. “Unapologetic,” Rihanna
8. “Babel,” Mumford & Sons
9. “The Lumineers,” The Lumineers
10.  “Pitch Perfect,” Various Artists

 Top Grossing Movies of 2012

Source: Box Office Mojo

1. Marvel’s “The Avengers” ($623.3 mil)
2. “The Dark Knight Rises” ($448.1 mil)
3. “The Hunger Games” ($408.1 mil)
4. “Skyfall” ($293.7 mil)
5. “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2” ($287.8 mil)
6. “The Amazing Spiderman” ($262 mil)
7. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” ($246.3 mil)
8. “Brave” ($237.3 mil)
9.  “Ted” ($218.8 mil)
10. “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” ($216.4 mil)

 Highest Paid Actors of 2012

Source: Forbes

1. Tom Cruise $75 million
2. Leonardo DiCaprio $37 million
2. Adam Sandler $37 million
4.Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson $36 million
5. Ben Stiller $33 million
6. Sacha Baron Cohen $30 million
7. Johnny Depp $30 million
8. Will Smith $30 million
9. Mark Wahlberg $27 million
10. Taylor Lautner $26.5 million

Top Books of 2012
Source: Goodrreads.com

1. “Gone Girl,” Gilian Flynn
2. “The Fault in Our Stars,” John Green
3. “Fifty Shades Freed,” E.L. Jamse
4. “Insurgent,” Veronica Roth
5. “The Casual Vacancy,” J.K. Rowling
6. “Bared to You,” Sylvia Day
7. “City of Lost Souls,” Cassandra Clare
8. “Cinder,” Marissa Meyer
9. “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail,” Cheryl Strayed
10. “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking,” Susan Cain

Top 10 Highest Rated Television Shows of the 2011-2012 Season

Source: Deadline.com

1. NBC Sunday Night Football
2. American Idol
3. The Voice
4. Modern Family
5. The Big Bang Theory
6. Two and a Half Men
7. X Factor
8. Two Broke Girls
9. Grey’s Anatomy
10. New Girl

 Top Technology Trends of 2012 (in no particular order)

Source: Forbes

1. Instagram
2. Focus on camera quality on mobile phones
3. Rise of free online education (sometimes with support by public universities!) (e.g. Kahn Academy, Coursera, Code Academy)
4. Electric vehicles
5. Retina display on computers (extremely high pixel density), specifically the Macbook 

Fashion Trends of 2012

Source: Elle

1. Skirted peplum sillhouette
2. Pajama-inspired pants
3. Wedge sneakers
4. Baroque-inspired fashions
5. Oxblood (the clolor)
6. Leather-like pants
7. Luxe sweatshirts
8. Leather-sleeved jackets
9. Printed pants

 Average Cost of Items in 2012

• Gallon of Milk: $3.65 (USDA)
• Gallon of Gas: $3.91 (The People History)
• Loaf of Bread: $1.88 (The People History)
• Movie Ticket: $8.20 (The People History)
• Public College Education (with room and board):  $22,261 (College Board)
• Private College Education (with room and board): $42,289 (College Board)
• New House: $263,200 (The People History)
• Home Resale: $146,000 (Statistic Brain)
• New Car: $30,303 (Forbes)
• Diapers: Approximately $0.26/per diaper (for newborn size, dependent on retailer)
• Babysitter: $5-15/hr (depending on experience)
• Sunday Paper: $2.50
• Postage Stamp: $0.45 (The People History)
• Computer: $650 (depends on specs and brand)

Filling Out Your Baby Book: What Happened in Baby’s World (2008 Edition)

You ‘ve been asking and we are always happy to oblige. We at Babysakes  are always keen to help out new moms – especially when it means doing the research so you can fill out those Baby’s World pages in your fabulous  Baby Book from BabySakes.com!

So here we go with the wonderful topsy-turvy year 2008 – just choose the key bits that you would like to add to your baby memory book:

World Leaders:

• President George W. Bush – USA
• Prime Minister Gordon Brown – UK
• President Hu Jintao – China
• President Pratibha Patil  – India
• Prime Minister Kevin Michael Rudd – Australia
• Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy – France
• President Horst Kohler – Germany
• President Dmitry Medvedev- Russia

Top Stories of 2008

Near financial collapse, the US Government came to the aid of some of the historically most financially solvent institutions. Because of the sub-prime mortgage debacle, many banks found themselves out of cash.  Those that weren’t gobbled up by their former competitors, were left floundering. Lehman Brothers was allowed to fail, but Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and AIG were helped out by taxpayers. By the end of the year, consumer spending was at record declines, home values continued to plummet and joblessness on the rise.

Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States in an historic victory that brought the United States its first African-American President. In an equally historic democratic primary, Obama defeated Hillary Clinton for the nomination after a 50-state caucus. On the right, Alaska governer Sarah Palin energized the ticket headed by John McCain in the Republican nomination. The long and hard-fought election also showed a marked generational shift in American Politics with the Internet, mobile phones and social networking being used to rally support for candidates.

For three days in November  Mumbai, the financial and movie capitol of India, was held hostage by 10 armed men. The tourism center was hit hardest with hotels and restrants becoming sites of unbelievable carnage.

The term “Made in China” brought about a great deal of fear in the minds of consumers as the chemical melamine was found in food products given to animals and humans and high levels of lead in children’s toys brought about new consumer saftey standards.

Top Selling Music Albums of 2008

1. As I Am – Alicia Keys

2. Noel – Josh Groban

3. Tha Carter III – Lil Wayne

4. Long Road Out of Eden – Eagles

5. Taylor Swift – Taylor Swift

6. Rock N Roll Jesus – Kid Rock

7. Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends – Coldplay

8. Now 26 – Various Artists

9. Carnival Ride – Carrie Underwood

10. The Ultimate Hits – Garth Brooks

Top Grossing Movies of 2008:

1. The Dark Knight

2. Iron Man

3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

4. Hancock

5. WALL-E

6. Kung Fu Panda

7. Twilight

8. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

9. Quantum of Solace

10. Horton Hears a Who!

Highest Paid Actors of 2008:

1. Will Smith

2. Johnny Depp

3. Eddie Murphy

4. Mike Myers

5. Leonardo Dicaprio

Actresses

1. Angelina Jolie

2. Cameron Diaz

3. Jennifer Aniston

4. Keira Knightly

5. Jennifer Lopez

Best Sellers of 2008:

(Non Fiction)

1. The Forever War by Dexter Filkins

2. The Thief at the End of the World by Joe Jackson

3. The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder

4. The World Is What It Is by Patrick French

5. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale

(Fiction)

1. 2666 by Roberto Bolaño

2. Lush Life by Richard Price

3. Lush Life by Richard Price

4. Anathem by Neal Stephenson

5. Unaccustomed Earth Jhumpa Lahiri

(Children)

1. The Pencil by Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman

2. Big Words for Little People by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell

3. Bats at the Library, Written and illustrated by Brian Lies

4. Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton

5. Oodles of Animals by Lois Ehlert

Top 10 Highest Rated Television Shows of 2008:

1. American Idol Tuesday (Fox) 2. American Idol Wednesday (Fox) – 15.3%
3. Dancing with the Stars (ABC) – 4. Dancing with the Stars Results (ABC) – 11.4%
5. The Mentalist (CBS)
6. NBC Sunday Night Football (NBC)
7. CSI (CBS)
8. NCIS (CBS)
9. 60 Minutes (CBS)
10. Survivor: Gabon

What Things Cost in 2008

Gallon of Milk: $3.72

Gallon of Gas: At its highest it was $4.20 for regular unleaded.

Loaf of Bread: Approximately $1.59

Movie Ticket: Average price $7.20

College Education: Private – $25,143 per year Public: $6,585  per year.

House: $206, 200(Median Home Price)

Car: About  25,000 to 35,000 for a moderately priced new car or SUV.

Diapers: Approximately 18 to 28 cents a diaper.

Babysitter: Approximately $12 – 15 an hour for someone over age 18.

Sunday Paper: Average price $2.50 to 3.00 or free online.

Postage Stamp:  42 cents

As always, let us know if there is any more information you need in the comments. We are happy to oblige.

My Baby Book Stinks!

Victim of Stinky Baby Book

Ok, well… that’s not quite true. My baby book definitely does not stink, because I had a rather nice selection to choose from. But, it just may be that your baby book wasn’t exactly what you were hoping for. Perhaps you bought it only to find out that the memory book pages didn’t collect the information you wanted. Maybe it’s too hard to fill out… or doesn’t have enough space for the things you really want to add. Maybe you received it as a gift and felt obligated to use it, even though you secretly despise the album and want to re-do it. Or, maybe it was poorly constructed causing the binding to come unglued and the pages are falling out. Or, it could be that your two-year-old spilled juice all over it and the pages are now water-warped.

Whatever the disaster may be, it could just be that your baby book simply stinks, and you want a new one, but you have a hard time justifying buying another because you have a perfectly…err… well, not so perfectly good one right now.

We want to hear your story. At BabySakes.com, we understand the importance of a good baby book – it’s the one baby item that your little one is still sure to treasure when they are all grown up. A family heirloom that will be passed down from generation to generation. Just think… one day, your words could be read by your great-great-great grandchildren as part of your family history. After all, it’s a keepsake that’s not to be taken lightly!

That’s why BabySakes.com provides a huge selection of the best baby books we can find with dozens of boutique brands and carefully crafted albums.

Now, back to your lousy book. In the comments below, please let us know why your baby book stinks and deserves to be replaced with a new one. You don’t have to say the brand of the book, or where you bought it…. just why you don’t like it. We will select an entry on September 12th to receive a $75.00 gift certificate towards the baby book of your choice – hooray! (complete rules here) The only catch is that you must report back to let us know which baby book you choose and how you like it when you receive it.

And, with your comments, we might all learn a thing or two about what makes a better baby book.

Which is the best baby book?
To make it even easier to select the perfect baby book, BabySakes.com is now collecting and posting customer reviews of the baby albums they have purchased. These now appear on the product page for each baby album for which reviews have been received. We do not filter these… if the review is negative, we want to know and we want you to know so that you can make the best decision when choosing an album. We even pass this info back to manufacturers to help them with their future products. Thanks to other Moms and Dads, you might just pick up a few tips on which baby memory book will be best for your family!

September 15, 2008 Update – And the Winners Are…
We have completed our drawing and the official winner from a random drawing is Bev, with comment #1. Bev wins the $75 gift certificate of a baby book of her choice! Hooray!

We appreciate all of the stories of your baby book disasters and can’t stand the thought of you all having to be stuck with them.  It’s just too heartbreaking! So, everybody else who submitted to this contest will receive a $30 gift certificate “bonus prize” for taking the time to share (as long as you meet eligibility requirements). We would love to have everybody report back on the baby album that you choose to see if you are able find the perfect baby book for you!

Filling Out Your Baby Book: What Happened in Your Baby’s World in 2007 (Extra)

It was requested that we add a few more items to help you fill in all those wonderful pages in your baby book. So we will oblige with a few more tidbits from 2007.

Most Popular Television Shows

1. Lost
2. Heros
3. Bionic Woman
   
4. Private Practice
5. 24
6. Survivor: China
7. Grey’s Anatomy
8. House
9. American Idol – Tuesday
10. American Idol – Wednesday

Source: Nielsen Media Research

Fashion Trends

• Artists and Designers collaborating on collection – Marc Jacobs collaborated with Richard Prince for Louis Vuitton handbags. Rem Koolhaas created the backdrop for Prada’s Spring show and Damien Hirst hosted the label’s party at its Soho store during fashion week.
• Eco-Clothing – Rogan Gregory and Scott Hahn first jumped on the green-clothing bandwagon in 2004 with their 100% organic cotton denim line Loomstate, which also uses factories that enforce fair labor and control pollution.  Stella McCartney, Philip Lim, Theory and Lutz + Patmos have also done exclusive eco-friendly lines. In the spring of 2007 Levi’s launched its line of eco-jeans available in several styles and price ranges.
• Bangs –  bangs were the most accessible and affordable fashion trend of 2007
• Turbans – First worn on the fashion week runways, soon fashionistas such as Mary-Kate Olsen and Naomi Campbell could be seen embracing the look. Satin head scarves became en vogue again for those not as daring to wear the complicated head pieces.
• Color – fuchsia, canary yellow, orange, teal and crisp green were the new black this year.
• Eyeliner, Amy Winehouse style – Winehouse’s signature Cleopatra-like eyeliner was a hit.
• Burlesque Revival – Old style lingerie and the classic female hourglass form saw a huge revival in 2007, complete with garters and corsets.
• Ladylike dressing – It was time for women to leave more to the imagination.
• Anniversary Parties – Some of the most celebrated designers – Valentino, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein all had grand celebrations.  John Galliano held a soirée at Versailles to mark the fashion label Christian Dior’s 60th year.
• Going Global – Designers reached out to more distant and underrepresented markets.

Source: Time

Of course huge expensive bags, over-priced footware were still very much on the scene, just like these items:

Top 10 Fashion Must-Haves

1. The Tent Dress – formless, shapeless but oh, so comfortable.
2. White Sunglasses – all the cool kids had ’em. Ray Ban Wayfarer style made a huge comeback.
3. High Waisted Jeans – after years of being subjected to plumbers crack and muffin top, women were finally able to cover up.
4. Day Clutch – A purse without a strap (obviously only popular with those without children.)
5. Ankle boots – Rock and Roll style. The most popular had almost 5″ heels.
6. Vests – Classic menswear made its return to women’s closets.
7. Fedoras – Hats that looked great on people like Sinatra, made a splash with women this year.
8. Bright Tights and Leggings – women were running around with candy-colored legs (and keeping warm to boot.
9. Red Lipstick – Does this classic look ever go out of style. It looked great on grandma, and still looks great on you.
10. Cocktail Rings – Large bejeweled rings (real and faux) adorned the fingers of every dirty-martini sipping fashionista.

Source: Time

Most Popular Baby Names for boys

1. Jacob
2. Michael
3. Ethan
4. Joshua
5. Daniel
6. Christopher
7. Anthony
8. William
9. Matthew
10. Andrew

Most Popular Baby Names for girls

1. Emily
2. Isabella
3. Emma
4. Ava
5. Madison
6. Sophia
7. Olivia
8. Abigail
9. Hannah
10. Elizabeth

Source: Social Security Administration.

Well, that’s all for now. Any other requests? As usual, leave them in the comments.

Filling Out Your Baby Book: What Happened in Your Baby’s World in 2007 (part 2 of 2)

Baby is sleeping, you have your pens and your glue and you have decided that today is the day you are going to tackle that baby book that has been sitting, still in its box, next to that unfolded pile of laundry. You had visions of your baby, as an adult, flipping through the pages of their baby book, and asking you questions about what life was like when they were born. The only problem is…you don’t remember. The past year whizzed by filled with baby showers, doctor visits and then, of course, the blessed event. You were too busy choosing between rubber-duck yellow and sunshine yellow for the nursery to pay attention to current events, much less go to a movie at a theatre.

Don’t fret, we are here to help again with all the important stuff from 2007.  So get out that glitter pen and start writing…

World Leaders:
President George Bush – USA
Prime Minister Tony Blair resigned in June and was replaced by Gordon Brown -UK
President Hu Jintao – China
President Abdul Kalam’s term ended in July and was replaced by Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil- India
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi term ended and was replaced by Yasuo Fukuda- Japan
Dictator Kim Jong-il – North Korea
Prime Minister John Howard – Austrailia
Prime Minister Jacques Chirac replaced by Francois Fillon in May,- France
President Horst Kohler – Germany
President Vladimir Putin replaced by Dmitriy Anatolyevich Medvedev- Russia

Top Stories of 2007

• Nancy Pelosi becomes first female Speaker of the House for the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final installment of the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling, arrives in bookstores and into the hands of anxious fans.
• Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron’s record major league home run record.
• US Commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, tells a joint Congressional Hearing that the 30,000 additional troops deployed could return home by July 2008 but that any additional troop withdrawls would be “premature.”
• The Bush Administration issues tough sanctions against Iran and declared its Revolutionary Guard a proliferator of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
• Tensions with North Korea eased when Pyongyang began to disable its nuclear weapons facilities.
• For their work to bring attention to the issue of global warming Former US Vice President Al Gore and the UN Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change, received the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Award.
• The US mortgage meltdown is predicted to take a heavy toll on housing prices in 2008 with an average 7 percent decline and a loss of $1.2 billion in property values. It is believed that the resetting of adjustable rate mortgages written in 2004 and 2005 is to blame.
• Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination caps a year of turmoil in Pakistan.

Top Selling Music Albums of 2007

1. Daughtry – Daughtry

2. Akon – Konvicted

3. Fergie – The Dutchess

4. Hannah Montana Soundtrack

5. Carrie Underwood – Some Hearts

6. Nickleback – All the Right Reasons

7. Justin Timberlake – FutureSex/LoveSounds

8. High School Musical 2 Soundtrack

9. Various Artists – Now 23

source: billboard.com

Top 10 Grossing Movies:
1. Spiderman III

2. Shrek the Third

3. Transformers

4. Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

6. I Am Legend

7. The Bourne Ultimatum

8. National Treasure: Book of Secrets

9. Alvin and the Chipmunks

10. 300

source: imdb.com

Top 10 Bestselling Books of 2007

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre

2. The Secret – Rhonda Byrne

3. Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert

4. A Thousand Splendid Suns –  Khaled Hosseini

5. The Memory Keeper’s Daughter – Kim Edwards

6. The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini

7. Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen

8. The Dangerous Book for Boys – Conn Iggulden, Hal Iggulden

9. I Am America (And So Can You!) – Stephen Colbert

10. You: Staying Young – Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz

Source: USA Today

Top Actors / Actresses (Highest Paid)

1.Tom Cruise – $67 Million

2. Denzel Washington – $38 Million

3. Johnny Depp – $29 Million

4. Tom Hanks – $29 Million

5. Adam Sandler $29 Million

6. Jodie Foster $27 Million

7. Leonardo DiCaprio – $25 Million

8. Brad Pitt $25 Million

9. Will Smith – $25 Million

10. Kiefer Sutherland – $23 Million

11. Nicole Kidman – $22 Million

12. Renee Zellweger – $21 Million

13. Jim Carrey – $20 Million

14. Jennifer Aniston – $18 Million

15. Halle Berry – $16 Million

16. Scarlett Johansson – $16 Million

17. Cameron Diaz – $15 Million

18. Angelina Jolie – $14 Million

19. Jennifer Lopez – $10 Million

20. Reese Witherspoon – $9 Million

Source: Forbes

Popular Sports Figures (in no particular order)

• Tiger Woods (Golf)
• David Beckham (Soccer)
• Maria Sharapova (Tennis)
• Brett Favre (Football)
• Oscar De La Hoya (Boxing)
• Kobe Bryant (Basketball)
• Derek Jeter (Baseball)
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Racecar driving)
• Barry Bonds (Baseball)

As always, let us know if there is any more information you need in the comments. We are happy to oblige.

Filling Out Your Baby Book – What Things Cost in 2007

Filling Out Your Baby Book   What Things Cost In 2007  Remember last year when you could buy gasoline for the bargain price of $3 a gallon? Those were the days! . And just in case you don’t remember and you haven’t filled out the “what things cost when baby was born” page of your baby book yet, here are some tips that could help you finish that page fast! . And just remember, one day when baby is all grown up, they’ll look back and say “Wow… things sure were cheap back then!” (or maybe even, “What’s gas?”) . Now… on to the national average for the cost of things typically found on the “cost of things” baby book page: . . Gallon of milk: About $3.50 .  Gallon of gas: About $3 .  Loaf of bread: About $2.50 .  Movie Ticket: About $7 .  College Education: Public: $6,185 Private: $23,712 .  House About $300K by year end .  Car: $28,000 new, $13,000 used .  Diaper: 25 cents per disposable diaper .  Babysitter: $12 per hour (over 18) .  Sunday Newspaper: About $1.50 . Postage Stamp: $.41 for a first class stamp .  There you go! Now, it’s the easiest page in the baby book to complete (but you are still on your own for the “dates baby’s teeth first appeared” page!)

 

Baby Book Graveyard – So Long to These Favorites (and not so favorites)

If you’ve ever visited the original Ben & Jerry’s factory in Vermont, you’ve probably come across their “flavor graveyard,” a tribute to flavors that have passed away because they were ill conceived (Peanut Butter & Jelly), fell out of popular favor (Rainforest Crunch), or became to expensive to produce (White Russian). It is truly a mournful sight to behold.

Alas, at the beginning of every year, BabySakes.com struggles with witnessing a similar fate to a number of beloved baby book designs. So, before we announce the new designs, let’s take a few moments to remember some old favorites that are now being retired.

Winnie the Pooh – Dreaming of Hunny

One of C.R. Gibson’s longest active running albums in 2007, this one now heads off to the great 100 acre woods in the sky. The pictures were cute! The matching keepsake box was huge! It had a Spanish version! It came as a double set for twins! No other Gibson keepsake collection had so many items. This Pooh baby book design had a good run, but it’s night night for Dreaming of Hunny.

Funshine Bear – We hardly knew you

When C.R. Gibson introduced the “Bears in Toyland” baby book design as a mid-season entry in 2007, we were excited! Many times over the years customers had asked if there was a Care Bears book on the market and we could finally say, “yes!”

 We though this cute album would have a long run in the Gibson catalog. But imagine our surprise when it was pulled from the production schedule faster than “Caveman” (is that still on?).

It’s all sold out and with only 6 months on the press, is likely going to be hard to find in the future.  

Beatrix Potter’s A Tale of Baby Days – Down the Rabbit Hole

Another C.R. Gibson classic to ride off into the vegetable patch. This charming design with a beautiful embroidered cover had a multi-year run as a customer favorite, but the vintage illustrations perhaps weren’t as popular as they used to be. Unlike the “Pooh” album which has a next generation replacement, it looks like the book is closed on Beatrix Potter for the time being.

But, all things run in cycles and we are sure that the adorable characters will grace the pages of a baby book again in the future.

Say bye bye!

We also wish happy trails to the famous Carter’s onesie baby albums. With adorable little onesies on the covers in tiny little hangers, these were precious designs that just fell out of favor over time.

So, it is with a heavy heart that we commit these baby book designs to the past. BabySakes.com keeps a sample of each preserved in it’s matching keepsake box (if available) as a special memory.

And now, we look to the future!  

A fabulous set of new baby book designs have been released by C.R. Gibson and Pepperpot (Carter’s). And there are more choices than ever before (yes, including new Pooh, too)! So next up, a tribute to the next generation – the 2008 collections!