As You Grow: A Modern Memory Book for Baby (Heirloom Story Books and Guided Journals)

I am completely blown away by this baby book! I was looking for a beautiful book that I could document my baby girl's early years into but did not want the standard "cheesy", kitschy books you see that are typically filled with hot pink flowers, hearts and butterflies. I wanted something elegant, modern and pretty enough that I would be proud to display it on my coffee table. I also wanted to make sure that it wasn't just pretty, but that it was functional and detailed to the things that I was interested in documenting. Well this baby book completely fulfilled every expectation and then some!Upon opening it, I was amazed at the quality of the cover and binding, considering it was so reasonably priced. The linen detail is stunning and will be beautiful displayed on any bookshelf or table. When you open the book, every single page is touched by the most perfect artwork that gives the feel of something really unique and special. You can tell that not one thing in this book was "copy and pasted". EVERY SINGLE DETAIL was actually hand created by and ACTUAL artist!Another feature that makes this book top on my list is the spiral binding. I know this may not be a big deal in theory but I had actually bought another baby book that had a standard bind and it was near impossible to write in! I spent so much time pushing the book down into place and would get so frustrated trying to write close to the center. I thought the book would never hold up over time with this continued action. This baby book opens perfectly and you can take your time planning and writing on each page. A HUGE bonus!And then to the actual content!! Again, the previous book I had used had strange wording and I found myself thinking "I don't care enough to write about this." Well not this book! Every single page has meaningful content and topics to write about that I would have never thought about but things I definitely wanted to remember. There is a place for guests that visit baby in the first few days to write a message, places to put pictures, a page for every major holiday, and even a stunning page to put the baby's footprints right into the book (take it to the hospital with you)! There is also a whole section that goes all the way up to five years old with places for them to draw pictures every year so you can watch their progress! One of my very favorite things is the very last section of the book that has tons and tons of pages to write letters to your baby with prompts and everything.This book has blown away my expectations in every single way and I cannot even wait to fill it completely out. It is something that I will cherish forever and ever. Seriously buy one for everyone of your kids and at least 10 for baby showers! You will not regret it!

I wasn't planning on getting a baby book, but my mom convinced me to go to Barnes & Noble with her to pick one out and we settled on this one. It really gives you space for everything and month to month you can see how your little one is progressing...looking back I'm already realizing I hardly remember what I put for previous months. So many options for firsts, milestones etc which is super helpful as my friends are having babies and asking about our progress with milestones.This book goes up to I think 5 years even which is really fun and questions for each year vary based on age, I'm so excited to fill up the rest of it, my daughter is 7 months right now so we still have plenty to add.One thing I really love is at the back there's a lot of empty sheets for you to write down anything you want, and I've treated that as letters to my daughter to look back on and for her to read herself later. Something that the baby book that my mom kept for me too helped with was comparing my own daughter to the way that I was as a baby and seeing the similarities in our personalities---so cool!I got mine at the store so I could see it in person but just ordered one here for my friend that has a 4 week old.I highly recommend this for anyone looking to document things about their child's development, especially if you're looking for a little guidance on what to record.

Finally, a modern baby book!When looking for a baby book to document my daughter's first year, I was frustrated at the lack of modern and detailed books that were available. The style of "As You Grow" is delicate yet sturdy, detailed yet minimalistic, structured yet open-ended. This book chronicles years 0-5 with its emphasis on your baby's first year. Pages that may not apply (ie: Christmas or Hanukkah) can easily be removed without leaving a gaping hole or tear in your book as the book is bound in a way that allows this! They have also left room for your book to grow thicker with pictures and artwork (so the pages won't outgrow the spine)! The book is also open for different family structures and is gender neutral decorated with gorgeous calligraphy and airy, whimsical drawings of plants and leaves. So much thoughtfulness has been put into this book and it shows!Sections of the book are separated by sturdy "pockets" that you can put letters/pages/artwork/cards in. They are made very well and don't "stick out" in a way that some pockets do in memory books. They flow seamlessly with the pages and provide a nice texture variation to separate the book's main "chapters" which include:* Before There Was You (The Pregnancy)* And Suddenly You Were My Everything (Birth and the First Weeks)* Discovering You (Months 1-12)* Memorable Moments (Firsts, Stories, and How you Made us Laugh)* Watching you Grow (Childhood Highlights (Ages 2-5)*You are So Loved (Letters to Baby)The purpose of a baby book is not just for you to remember but eventually to pass on to your chlid as an adult. Your child will appreciate "As You Grow" as a work of love when they are older as it chronicles their first 5 years of life in a special, witty, and thoughtful way. The book itself seems like it will last through the years. The pages aren't flimsy at all but more like cardstock. The binding itself seems dependable/hardy yet looks delicate.Overall, I recommend this book and think that it will be greatly appreciated as a gift to any parent who values style, quality, and beauty!The manufacturer provided a copy for an honest review. I have no personal or financial interest in the company or in anyone employed there.