New Cupboard

I wanted to expand our pantry space by putting a cupboard under our kitchen bar. We don't have chairs for the bar and don't have a need for any so it was the perfect place to put a cupboard. Our pantry is small with really spaced out shelves. It was impossible to keep canned food stacked 4 and 5 high and up to 10 cans deep organized. And it was hard to know what was out of stock without having to pull everything out. Super annoying.

So, Nick's uncle built us this...

Look at that organization!!! And that's only one side. The other side is just as organized and lovely! It's opened up my pantry space incredibly and has pretty much doubled my food storage space. I absolutely LOVE our new cupboard! The only downfall is that Shasta can reach the handles and open the cupboard and I pull her out of it at east 5 times a day. But other than that it's perfect!

Shasta's Sensory Table

Nick built Shasta a sensory table over the 4th of July and I finally got it sanded and stained. He was kind enough to save the dirty work for me!

 It was her idea to pull the stool up to the table. Maybe someday I'll ask Nick to build some chairs!

 It's a little tall for her now, but she'll grow into it soon enough. And once she grows a little too tall for it, Nick made the legs adjustable so we can make the table taller!

 Right now it's perfect for snacks because Wedge can't get to it!!!

 But it's real use is so Shasta can explore different things that she doesn't normally get to play with.

 This is white rice that I dyed with food coloring. Then I put some kitchen measuring cups and such in it for her to scoop and play with the rice.

 She loves it!

 And surprisingly she wasn't as messy with it as I expected. She had a few spills towards the end, but for the most part she did really good with it.

I love having a sensory table for her. We don't use it as much as I would like because it's something I feel I need to be right by her side and monitor what she's doing (so she doesn't eat it and doesn't make a huge mess), and with school it's too hard to devote that much time to one activity. But it's a real treat when we do pull it out and play with it. One of these days I'll add something new for her to explore. Maybe dry noodles or beans.

Shasta's Room

We finally lowered Shasta's crib because she started trying to climb out of it and I was worried she would get hurt. Plus she could reach the things hanging above her crib and I didn't want anything to fall and break.

 Helping dad.

 Now she looks like a little prisoner!

 And because I've never posted pictures of her room... here's what hangs above her bed.

 This hangs opposite her bed.

And all the teddy bears on the shelf with her name in wood letters. Her room is doubled as the guest room so showing what's on the floor isn't exciting because it's just her crib, the guest bed, and a book shelf. Nothing special!

Shasta Loves Shoes

Shasta LOVES putting things on her feet and lately those things are mine and Nick's shoes and socks! The other day I followed her around from the time she woke up until she went down for her first nap (9am-11:30am) and in that time she put 9 different things on her feet without being prompted!

 

 

 

 For once she got it on the right foot. Usually she puts flipflops on the wrong feet with the strap hooked to her baby toe!

 I was doing laundry while she put all these shoes on. Then we sat on the bed while I matched up socks and she decided to try on as many as she could!

 I know that my doing laundry is what caused her to try on so many shoes in such a short time (closet doors open and easy access to shoes), but she really does love putting shoes and socks on. She especially loves flipflops because they snap when she walks and makes fun noises on the floor. Although it turns my closet upside down and makes a mess downstairs, I love watching her walk around in different shoes and socks. She's currently wearing two different socks. I'd take a picture, but the memory stick is in my computer so you'll just have to imagine it's cuteness.

But to prove that she is always putting things on her feet, here's a picture from earlier today. Nick's sock and my shoe. (You know it's a different day because she's in a different outfit)!! Oh, and here's another fun fact. Sometimes when I have socks without mates I'll leave them in the laundry basket and set it next to the bed so that's where she gets some of her socks. But most of the time she pulls them from the dirty laundry! Hahaha!