Sounds like there might be a problem with iPhoto on the MacBook Pro.
Check Software Update... under the Apple menu and make sure there are no updates waiting for the program. I'm running iPhoto 9 ver 8.1.2 without problems. This is not the same as checking for updates in the iPhoto program. It will tell you iPhoto 11 is available in the Mac App Store It shouldn't be necessary to purchase it to make things work. Unless you want to, of course. Or maybe you already have it.
Create a new test album and move some photos into it and see if you can sync it. If this works recreate all your albums and delete the old ones.
Last of all, you can try rebuilding the iPhoto library.
iPhoto 6 and later: Rebuilding the iPhoto library
Be sure you back up your iPhoto library first, just in case.
Ok, the real last of all. Verifying and repairing permissions on your hard drive could also be a help. Not likely, but it's a good thing to do once in a while anyway.
Using Disk Utility to verify or repair disks
That is all I can think of for the moment. Good luck.