penny's play kitchen

The room I am probably the most excited about, truly, in our new house is what is going to be the playroom. It was previously used as an office, but with its location directly off the living room, it's the perfect room for our children. In our last house, we did not have a separate space for Penny - her bedroom was very small, and only could hold her crib, small dresser, and rocking chair. We had a small cabinet in our living room that housed the majority of her toys, but as she and Theo grow up, the toys get bigger too, so I'm just so thrilled to make their own little space for them to play and explore and have fun!

One of the first projects I knew I was going to do was make her a little play kitchen. I've seen so many "Ikea hacks" for the Ikea play kitchen, and so I spent hours looking at different ones on pinterest. The one that spoke to me the most was one I found on the blog Katie Lamb. I love the gender neutral colors, and her step by step instructions made it pretty easy to follow. The only difference is that I used a latex brush on paint rather than a spray paint! Basically the steps to making this little play kitchen your own: 

Figure out parts //

Take out all parts from the box, and figure out which pieces you will paint what color. I made 3 piles - the blue pile, the white pile, and the don't touch it pile. 

Things I should have done here: sanded and primed. Things I didn't do: sand and prime. Instead I just taped off the pieces I needed to tape off, and started the painting process. 

Paint // 

Each piece got 2 coats of paint. I then let them cure for a few days before starting the assembly process. For the metal pieces, I used Katie's trick of using a box to peg all the metal parts up to paint easier, then they got 3-4 coats of spray paint. I let these sit for a few days before attaching to the kitchen. 

Countertop //  

I used this butcher block contact paper to make over the countertop. I used a credit card to apply it tightly across the top, and then cut out the holes for the sink and stove top. I also applied a little super glue on each of the corners to really secure it where it would likely peel off first. 

Backsplash //  

I bought a thick plastic board from Michael's. I got one pack of these stick & peel hexagon "tiles" on Amazon that I just love so much. They are a great neutral with some variation in color that adds a nice texture to the backsplash. I measured the size of board I needed for the back splash, cut it to that size, and then attached the tile. It was super easy, and a lot cheaper than some of the $40 options I saw on Etsy!

Assemble // 

After everything had a few days to cure, I followed the instructions to put everything together - honestly, probably the most annoying part, but also so fun to see it all come together! Then during nap time, I brought it inside from the garage and got to set it up with all the little accessories I had found. I was so excited to show Penny!

There are so many adorable play food items out there, that it was hard to stick with just a few items! We have a little wood toaster that has a little lever that lifts the toast, and comes with butter! That, and our little espresso machine are the biggest hits. We have a little set of fruit and vegetables that are connected by magnets, which is so nice since they can't wear out like velcro could. Although we do have a little egg set that is probably the most played with item, and it's held up very well so far. She was gifted this little apron that we had personalized with her name, and I can't wait to eventually get one for Theo as well. I think for Christmas we are going to get her a set of little oven mitts!

I loved making this little kitchen for my babies, and am excited to get started in converting the office into their playroom. Next up on my projects for the room is this magnet wall!

Kitchen: Ikea

Blue pain: Behr Adirondack Blue

Metal color: Rustoleum Champagne Mist

Countertop: Amazon

Backsplash: Amazon

Espresso machine: Hape

Toaster: Hape

Pots & spatula: Pottery Barn Kids

Play eggs: PB Kids

Magnetic fruits/veggies: Amazon

penny favorites: 6-9 months

0-3 month favorites

3-6 month favorites

Penny turns 9 months old today! That is wild. She has just grown so much in the last few months - she now has opinions and makes them known! She's really starting to enjoy eating real foods, is working on crawling, can almost pull herself up on things, and can actually spend a little bit of time entertaining herself. This is such a fun age! Compared to previous months, some of our favorite items revolved more around toys than practical items - but that's what makes it so fun!

Teething Tubes // I kept seeing ads for these teething tubes and once Penny's first teeth started popping through, I figured why not. Turns out she loves her little teething tube! She is constantly chewing on it and playing with it and slobbering all over it. They are made out of silicone, are easily cleaned in soapy water, and overall a hit! Penny is working on some of her back teeth now and is obsessed more than ever before. 

Board Books // Instead of cards for our baby shower, we received books, so we have an awesome little library for Penny...but six months in, I realized that both Penny and I really enjoyed the board books with stories, rather than just pictures. She likes turning the pages, and I like having something to actually read! A few of our favorites are the Pout Pout Fish (the original is the best but some of the other ones are cute too), Giraffes Can't Dance, Love from Me to You, and Courageous People Who Changed the World. Currently in our Amazon basket we have Llama Llama Red Pajama, If Animals Kissed Goodnight, and The Little Blue Truck. Any other favorites we should add? 

Bapron // The last three months have been a whole new world of eating for Penny. We are doing half and half purees and baby led weaning - she gets purees at daycare and a bit at home, and then we generally give her adult food that's appropriate for her to try as well. That can get messy quick. I love our little baby apron! It's great for messier foods as it covers a bit more of her clothes, it's easily washed in the sink, and dries quickly. Plus the patterns they have are so cute! 

Magnetic Stacking Bear // This was a random instagram buy from Manhatten Toys that Penny LOVES. It's her favorite toy. She likes banging the pieces together, biting the parts, knocking stacks we make over, and talking to the little bear head. I like that it's a wood toy with non-toxic finishes that is easily cleaned off with soap and water. This would be a cute Easter present!

Sensory Teether // Teething is obviously a big theme for this age - I found this toy at Target and Penny held on to it the whole rest of the shopping trip. The soft tubes must feel good on her little gums and the different colors and parts keep her entertained. Plus again, it's easily washable! 

Stokke Highchair // I spent a lot of timing research high chairs - different styles, sizes, colors, everything! Everything kept pointing towards the Stokke high chair. I loved the minimalistic design, the fact that it grows with the baby from infant to childhood, that it's fairly easily cleaned, and that it has a foot rest for the baby so it sits in a more natural position for eating. I saved a Visa giftcard we received after Penny was born and used a 20% off coupon to make the price tolerable for us. We are very happy with this purchase!

Leather Moccasins // This is kind of a random item in the list since I haven't included other baby clothing, but we just love these little moccasins. They are very similar to the Freshly Picked mocs but for like half the price. Our first sets were a little gold set and a blush set and she wears them every day. Penny loves to pull her socks off her feet, so having soft shoes on makes it harder for her to bare her little feet! Plus I think they are just adorable - they even have ones with red bottom soles! 

Building Blocks // I've been a huge Bannor Toys fan since Penny was born - I got her a teether soon after she was born she plays with every day! For Christmas, I got both her and her cousin a set of their wood and silicone blocks. We play with these every single day! They are fun for us since we can build her little buildings or stacks and she gets to knock them over, she can chew on the blocks, and bang them together. I know this is something that she will grow with over the next few years, and it's probably my biggest recommendation on this list!

penny favorites: 3-6 months

Penny turned six months (half a year!!!) old this past weekend, and I can't believe my little baby is already half way through her first year. The time goes so quickly! It has been such a joy watching the leaps and bounds she's grown mentally and physically over the past three months - she's like a real interactive human now rather than our little newborn. 

As first time parents, we have been trying to be mindful of what we buy for Penny while still trying to figure out what we and she needs. I can easily fall into the trap of buying buying buying - first of all, baby things are so cute and second, I'm trying to figure out what makes our lives easier, and what she likes to play with. Especially as she grows older and actually plays with things, we are trying to stick with more organic materials and less battery operated. I also don't want so much stuff that we don't know where to put it or worse, end up throwing away a bunch of stuff, so we (ok, I) am trying to hold myself back from buying all the things.

I shared our baby favorites from 0-3 months, so here are the items we all have loved and used over and over again for our now 6 month old!

Sakura Bloom Ring Sling // We loved loved loved our Solly wrap for the newborn phase - I babywore Penny every day. But as she grew older, she became a lot less interested in being all snuggled up, and wanted to look around. We received the Sakura ring sling recently, and we have loved still baby wearing (and having free hands!) while letting her look around. I feel it's slightly less secure than the Solly wrap, so I mostly still support her with one hand, but it takes a load off my arms, which is definitely a big plus. I know moms who still use theirs with their 2-3 year olds, so I'm excited to get a lot of use of this for the next few years!

ABCs of Biology // Okay, maybe I'm a bad parent for saying this, but I think most baby books are a bit boring (except the Pout Pout Fish, which is a personal favorite to read). I initially purchased this book as a present for a friend, but after reading it to Penny, I purchased it for ourselves. The book has bright pictures for the baby, but with information captions for the parents to read - all in all, a book I've enjoyed reading to her over and over again without getting super bored. There's also the ABCs of Science, ABCs of Math, ABCs of Engineering, ABCs of Quantum Physics...I think I'm going to need the ABCs of Space pack! 

Teether toy // I used to see these teethers on a pacifer clips and not really understand the point of them...until my own baby started to sprout teeth at 4.5 months, and now I get it. Penny is obsessed with her little polar bear (we call him Charles the Chew Bear) and I love that she has a silicone teether that I don't constantly have to pick off the floor. We got ours at a local boutique (the brand also has an Etsy shop) but there are tons of cute options out there, from sloths to llamas to sushi! This is one of those "trying to be mindful" situations because I want to get all sorts of cute ones (hello, adorable watermelon!) when in reality she only really needs one, and she doesn't care what it looks like. This would also make for a really cute baby shower present, like on top of the present with a bow!

Baby Paper // I can't remember where I learned about Baby Paper, but for $6, I ordered one off Amazon and you guys...Penny loves this thing probably more than she loves me. She has spent an hour straight just stuffing this thing in her mouth and crinkling it. I keep it on my baby-designated purse and pull it out when we are in stores or eating and she just gets so excited. Cheap and super effective - a win win in the baby toy world!

Avanchy spoons // We started with purees when Penny was around four months old. We are now doing a combo of purees and baby-led weaning, and have really enjoyed using the Avanchy spoons. They have a silicone mouth piece with a bamboo handle. Penny is now helping us feed her by grabbing the handle and bringing the spoon to her mouth, and chewing on the mouth piece (I think the silicone feels good on her gums). We also purchased one of their suction cup bowls that we haven't used yet, but will probably get good use out of in the next month or so as we let her explore more of "adult" foods. 

Baby Bjorn bouncer // My in-laws have this amazing bouncer from when my husband was a baby that Penny loved being in - it has a little toy bar in front of it and she happily played with it for fairly long stretches of time. Obviously they don't make that version from thirty years ago, but when I started researching current versions, all reviews pointed towards the Baby Bjorn bouncer. Now, brand new this thing costs $200+, which seems very steep for a metal frame with a piece of fabric on it. I actually found ours second hand on Facebook Marketplace, which is where I would suggest starting out. We got ours for $50! I did end up purchasing the toy bar to go in front of it new, but we have just loved this bouncer that I would say it's the number one item on this list. The bouncer itself is super light and foldable, so you can tuck it away behind the couch or in the closet (my husband loves this feature), and can easily move it all over the house, so you can use it in the kitchen while making dinner, in the living room while folding laundry, and in the bedroom as you get ready. It's also easily washable, which is great if you are buying second hand or just have a messy baby. Penny also enjoys sitting in it as she gets to sit up, and has something right in front of her to play with. We are so happy with item!

Bibs with teethers // Are we noticing a trend? So many of our favorite items include something for my poor baby's gums. She started becoming super drooly around four months, to the point where our daycare would have to change her outfits because she was soaking her shirts. Our daycare also doesn't allow the teethers on the clips, so finding these teethers on the bibs was a great compromise! It protects her clothes from all that slobber, and gives her something to chew on. Plus I love the pretty floral patterns!

Kyte Sleep Sack // We started the transition out of swaddles around ten weeks of age, first by taking one arm out, then a week later unswaddling the other arm, and then for another two weeks just using the velcro swaddles like a sleeping bag that still gave her that "chest pressure" secure feeling. We tried a few different sleep sacks but I really fell for the Kyte sleep sacks. They are made of the softest bamboo fabric and come in the prettiest colors. We own the 0-6 month size in the 1.0 and 2.5 TOG. The sizes are pretty generous, I think we will probably end up using this size for at least several more months as she isn't anywhere close to outgrowing it. You can order directly from their website, which has a lot more options for colors and sizes, or on Amazon and get free shipping with Prime. The reviews on Amazon aren't great, but we have had no issues with our sleep sacks, and have been using them for three months now. If you like the brand, you can also join their facebook group and get early access to their sales, which is great because the items are pretty pricy. 

Pipette Balm // Penny started developing some eczema around three months of age. We switched to Baby Dove's wash for bath time, and then started using this Pipette balm after, and her skin cleared up in days! I think having fragrance/dye free really made a difference for her, so we will be sticking with that combo. The balm is really so nice to apply after her bath and helps seal in moisture, especially during these dry-air winter times. I kind of want a bigger tube to use for myself...

We now have a six month old who will probably be on the move soon - would love to hear any suggestions you have for the age group we are moving in to! From play mats to items for learning to eat, to favorite books to read!

penny favorites: 0-3 months

Penny turns 4 months old next week and I am not emotionally prepared for my little girl growing up so quickly! It feels like her newborn stage and my maternity leave were ions ago! She's becoming such a smily little girl and it's been the biggest blessing to have her in our life.

I wanted to share a few of the items that we loved using during the first three months of her life. Of course there are so many other baby things we use, but these are purchases or gifts we are so happy with, and would definitely purchase again! Some of these items are ones we will use for months to come, and some are limited to the newborn stage.

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Halo Bassinest: The AAP recommends room sharing (NOT bed sharing) for at least six months, and ideally up to one year, to help prevent SIDS. I looked at a bunch of different bassinets and loved the mobility of the Halo bassinest. It not only moves side to side so it's easier to get out of bed, but the front also bends down, so it's easier to pick the baby up in the middle of the night (I've read that lots of c-section mamas love it for this reason!). The one thing I wish I had known though is that you aren't supposed to use it when babies start rolling over, and as Penny is just on the verge of completely rolling back to front, we are going to be done using it soon. Part of me wishes we had gone with the combined bassinet/pack'n'play option so we wouldn't now have to also buy a pack'n'play for the rest of the year before we transition her to her crib (I think we are going to go with the Lotus travel crib as it doesn't have a weight limit and will be great for all the travel for the next few years!)

Tummy Time Book: This has been one of Penny's favorite things! It's great for a baby who isn't the biggest fan of tummy time because it keeps them entertained while they use their little muscles. It comes with a mirror (P's favorite!), black/white images on one side, colored imaged with tabs on the other, and the whole thing is of that crinkle material babies seem to love. I also think it's the cutest! We have an adorable play gym from Pottery Barn that we use for tummy time as well.

Portable Changing Station: newborn babies, and especially breastfed babies, don't need a lot when you're out and about - really you only need a few diapers, wipes, an outfit change, and a place to change your baby. Our little portable changing pack is the most used item we have! I love that I could just throw it in my regular tote bag, have everything I need in one spot, and not feel like I had to take our giant diaper bag everywhere. It's also great because it has a changing pad built in, which is handy for changing the baby in the car or a coffee shop without a changing table.

Diaper Backpack: okay, I don't think there is a ton of difference between all of the different diaper bags out there, but I really like ours! The backpack makes it easier to carry in and out of daycare, it looks nice and holds its shape well, has enough pockets to be able to organize everything nicely, and is large enough to hold 3-4 days worth of baby things for a longer weekend trip.

Evenflo Pacifer:  Penny would not take a pacifer for the first 10 weeks of her life. I tried all of them. Pacifers are another item recommend to help decrease the risk of SIDS, and it would be nice to have a method of calming an upset baby, which is why I kept trying different binkies. Evenflo actually sent me one to try out, and after Penny took right to it, I ordered several more. We have several adorable pacifer clips (this is my favorite one from Etsy) to keep them off the ground. She's not super attached to them still, which I'm actually totally okay with, but she will take them when she's upset and that's all I can ask for! If your baby is being fussy about taking a pacifier, I highly recommend trying these!

Sleep Swaddles: Silly first time mom here who thought I'd bring my baby home and swaddle her in her muslim clothes and everything would go great! But even though I'm a great swaddler, baby girl just wiggled her way out of all of them. I looked into a bunch of different swaddles but also didn't want to spend $50 on one swaddle, especially because she was occasionally having blow outs at night. I found this great pack on Amazon and we loved them for her for the first 8 weeks of life! They have velcro, so the swaddle stays super secure. We did start slowly transitioning her out of arms-in swaddling around 8 weeks, first by having one arm out for about 10 days, and then using the swaddle around her waist so she still had that pressure, to now being in an arms-out sleep sac (that while this is also $50, it actually can be used for up to 6 months, so I feel we are getting a bit more use out of it). From what I've read, you want to transition out of the arms-in swaddling before they start rolling over, but for the first eight weeks of life, this swaddle set was a life (and sleep!) saver.

Evenflo Travel System: Oh man...I put buying a carseat off for so long. There are just so many choices! From car seats that have a stroller with it to car seats that fit into different strollers with adaptors to travel systems to buying separate pieces and fitting them together, and all price points, I had no idea where to even start. I eventually decided that I wanted a travel system that didn't involve buying a bunch of different parts with adaptors and all of that. Next, I really wanted one that comes with a bassinet. Of course the biggest suggestion for a travel system with a bassnett is the UppaBaby...but we are residents and also felt uncomfortable registering for something so expensive, so I was thrilled when I came across the Evenflo travel system. It comes with a car seat, bassinett (that converts to a toddler seat), and stroller bottom. It comes in like 6 or 7 different colors (we went with Aspen Skies version which apparently is no longer available). We are so happy with it! I love the bassinet for going on walks, and used it for sleep for Penny when we traveled. It snaps into the carseat base it comes with in literally 1 second - we did buy two additional bases, one for my husband's car and one for my mom's. Of course it meets all safety requirements, but it looks nice, and is at a great price point. I'm definitely very happy with our decision in buying this system.

Solly wrap: being able to wrap my newborn up close to my body, especially while I was on maternity leave, was just my absolute favorite thing to do (and it was Penny's favorite too!). I had registered for a Solly wrap because I had read that the fabric was lighter and better suited for summer babies. I used it literally every day for Penny's first 7 weeks of life. We went on our daily walks with it, I wore her when I cooked and cleaned, wore her when we went to Target...all the things. The material is just so nice and soft, and babies seem to love being snuggled up tight against their parents. Highly highly recommend!

Noise machine: We read this book about having happy babies, and one of the things it talks about is using a sound machine for sleeping time. I already use a sound machine to sleep (especially when I'm sleeping during the day after call or when I'm on night float) so I already appreciate a good sound machine, but we got a travel one as well, which has been so helpful! It holds a charge all night, has several sound options, and is cute and small.

I'm going to cover nursing and bottle supplies in a later post, which is why I didn't cover any feeding items this time around!

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We officially hit 4 months this coming week, so if you have a 4+ month old, I would love to hear about what items you love for this stage! She's starting to grab at things, so we are looking at a few more toys for her to interact with and would love any suggestions you have.

i'm back!

Hi guys!

It's been a hot second...or 14 months.

It's been a fun-filled, love filled, work filled, and surprising few years around here. I'm now a third year resident! I know. And I'm a mother...I KNOW. I was already a wife, but I feel I barely talked about that since I basically fell off the blogging planet shortly after our wedding.

So I'm basically the same but also so different.

Over the past year, I've dedicated all of myself to other things - my job, my family, my baby. I have found no greater joy in life than raising my sweet child, but you guys...it's a lot. From carrying her for 38.5 weeks to pushing for 2.5 hours to nursing her around the clock, to now just running around so I can spend the absolute most time with her, I feel guilty for the small things I do for myself...washing my hair, occasionally getting my nails done, eating dinner with my husband while not holding her because I just want her to feel so much love. Between that, and all of the emotions that come with my job (which deserves more than half a sentence throw away but also not a lot I can talk about) I feel like I've lost a bit of myself in everything else.

Blogging was always a thing that was just mine. I could talk about whatever superficial or deep stuff I wanted, it was something that no one told me what to do or how to do it, and it was a way to stay connected with all of you girls, who have been such a source of friendship, guidance, and encouragement for the past seven years.

my top // Penny's swaddle

So I'm going to get back into it. It won't and can't be how it used to be. Full outfit posts several times a week will probably likely never happen again. I wear scrubs all day (almost) every day, so those will be a once in a while thing. It'll more likely be some mirror pics or quick snaps I force my husband take on our way to Target to pick up dog food. Review posts will continue - I really enjoy learning about myself and my style through taking pictures and writing, and from all of your feedback, it sounds like you guys like them too. I love sharing what I've found online - I'm currently waiting for this quarter zip from Amazon to show up to see how it compares to my favorite LL Bean zip up (look at me, planning posts ahead!). Weekly Top Three posts, which were my favorite to write, are also the most time consuming, so those will likely become maybe a monthly post - a way to share what I've found and learned and read about it, without the pressure of spending 4 hours on a Saturday writing them. Makeup and skin posts will definitely be included, as those topics have always interested me! And posts about motherhood will definitely be included, as so much of my life revolves around my little squish.

I'm excited to be back, and see where this new season in life takes us!