We all have the best of intentions when it comes to capturing those unforgettable milestones from our baby's first months in a Pinterest-ready book to be cherished forever … except the reality of crafting these keepsakes as a busy mom can be quite the challenge. But don't worry if you're not a scrapbook queen — luckily, there are lots of modern-day updates on traditional baby books available that make memory-preservation a snap!
Whether you're looking for a way to virtually chronicle your little one's babyhood or a more tangible record, you'll find something here to fit the bill — and none of them take nearly as much effort to put together as the albums our moms spent hours assembling!
Image via socialprintstudio.com
Hell'o Baby
A baby book you can access on your phone? Yes, please! The Hell'o Baby interactive baby album app (free, iTunes.com) lets parents save, tag, and share "key moments" in photo, video, audio, or text note format. The super cute stickers are a plus, as is the option to get an actual printed book made from your memories.
Tweed Wolf Baby Album
Turn your virtual baby photo album into the real thing (printed on archival quality paper) with Tweed Wolf, which will pick the best photos from your Facebook or iPhoto accounts, edit them, and print them out in an actual handcrafted book ($295 for up to 120 pages, tweedwolf.com).
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Baby Jellybeans
You've already devoted most of your Instagram feed to your baby, so why not create an entire website for your new addition? Baby Jellybeans ($8.95, babyjellybeans.com) allows parents to make sites that will continue to update friends and family on their baby's progress: Available features include a due date countdown, a gift registry, slideshows, birth statistics, and a growth chart.
Savor Keepsake Box
It's not easy to tape a lock of baby hair (or a lot of other things) into the pages of a book, which is why we love Savor's Baby Edition Keepsake Box ($80.00, savor.us). The two-volume "library" has nine drawers for things like first haircut clippings and baby shoes, plus eight vertical files for photos, letters, and other 2D items. Labels are also included.
Paper & Oats Keepsake Journal
If you're the type who likes to keep a diary (or just endless notes on your phone), Paper & Oats's Baby Keepsake Journal ($12, paperandoats.com) is a printable book that includes 38 PDF sheets to be filled out on everything from milestones and favorite foods to "new parent rants" and hopes for your child's future.
Letters to My Baby
One of Oprah's Favorite Things for 2015, Letters to My Baby ($14.95, papersource.com) is a book of 12 fold-and-mail letters containing prompts for moms to write about what they hope their children's futures will be like. Meant to be opened at a much, much later date!
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My Family App
Besides tips on nutrition, health, and general kid/baby care, the My Family app from Today's Parent (free, iTunes.com) has a "Storybook" feature that lets you organize all your little one's big moments into separate photo and video narratives. Customized to your child's age and stage!
Treasured
Storing all your irreplaceable photos and videos on your phone — or even in a folder on your desktop — is risky business. Treasured ($3 to $15 per month, treasured.com) is essentially a cloud service where parents can safely save photos and text to virtual "memory boxes" which can then be shared with family and friends.
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Personalized Memory Game
What better way to celebrate special memories than by playing a personalized Memory game? Thanks to Pinhole Press ($29.99, pinholepress.com, you can turn 12 of your favorite photos into the classic kids' card game (back-of-the-card design options include apples, robots, and sailboats).
Prinstagram
Proof that bigger isn't always better, Prinstagram takes your Instagram photos and prints them in a spiral-bound Minibook that's as streamlined as it is sweet! ($15 for a set of two books with 50 photos each, socialprintstudio.com)
My Own Little Story
Forgetful types will appreciate the website My Own Little Story, which not only lets parents save photos and details but also sends reminders with potential impending milestones — so you can be prepared to capture the memory forever. The service is free, but there is a fee for printed books ($38.99 to $78.99, myownlittlestory.com).
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Baby Time Capsule
It's easy to forget what else was happening in the world the year your baby was born. That's where Baby Time Capsule ($44.95, timecapsule.com) comes in: In addition to holding photos and videos of your little one, it also has labels, pages, and envelopes to help preserve artifacts like newspapers, cards, lists of popular phrases, and other time-sensitive tidbits.
