Chase has become increasingly fascinated by our kitchen – opening and closing cabinets, excited by the pots and pans he discovers, and intrigued with trying to figure out how to remove the child safety latch (on the poison cabinet!). Oh, he is always in the kitchen! He especially enjoys sticking his hand in the garbage to see what contents he can pull out, he gets a kick out of touching the oven door, which is warm when I'm baking, and has become quite deft at snatching out knives and forks while I'm unloading the dish washer. *sigh*
While it's fascinating play for Chase, it's more than a little nerve-racking for us. We're considering a child safety-gate to block off the kitchen… but we also decided that we didn't want to completely squelch his naturally exploratory nature. I mean, Chase could be the next Iron Chef… and who are we to shatter this 16-month-old's dreams!? 
So essentially, his Homestyle Kitchen is pretty neat as an introductory kitchen play set, and if his interest remains strong perhaps we'll graduate to a more advanced set as he gets older. Now all we need is to arrange a play date so he can enjoy his kitchen set with one of his buddies!
well, as one who NEVER wanted to be in the kitchen unless i was eatin i am glad to know this stuff starts young. tell my great nephew he can cook up a storm…i’ll sample it all!! LOL
big love to all, luv your site
What you said about him possibly being the next Iron Chef, it is so true! I think its admirable you take the time out of the day to track his growth and your growth as a mother
Cause if he does become the Iron Chef, you have the pictures to prove his early interest.
Can you believe chase and his new kitchen??? it was so funny to read the captions on his behavior; he’s playing with his Aunt Sibo’s long-desired kitchen set, though she wanted the traditional kind with the separate stove, refrig, etc….; Oh well, Sibo: you will have to enjoy your dream through Chase’s…; i was cracking up @ the ‘iron chef’…; actually, that’s a very liberating toy for boys; kudos to mommy and daddy!
lmao @ a future “g garvin.” i know dat’s right! i have his cookbook in my library.
i’m sooo excited to see how wonderful the kitchen set looks. for christmas, that was actually one of my priority gift ideas for garvey, but i couldnt find one that i was satisfied with that also fit out budget. i actually had seen that same set that chase has and had read disparaging comments about it on target’s website, so as much as i LOOOOVED the price, folks kept emphasizing how u “get what u pay for,” yadda yadda….
but now i’m like, bump that!!! that jont looks on-point! and let me find out derek is putting together toys, i know das right!!
lol, it’s so funny that u kept saying that he wasnt sweating it, because the pic clearly showed an opposite depiction. i think it is TOO CUTE about that broom and swiffer, because shabazz is OBSESSED with our friggin kitchen broom, ugh!!! so unsanitary. i think this will def have to be a gift that we get the kids to share…either for bazz’s 1 year bday next month, or for christmas to share!
Chase looks like he is having a blast, lol! Do you guys plan to get some of the little plastic foods?
I agree with one of the other commentors (Sibo), im hating, lol. I wanted a little kitchen so bad!
let me first start off by saying i’m lowkey-hating because i ALWAYS wanted a kitchen play set growing up, and i never got one, smh…year after year it was on my christmas list…but i guess it just could never fit anywhere in the house…lol…chase is sooo lucky!!
anyway, i thought it was hilarious how he wasn’t sweating it at first! i wasn’t expecting that! i know you were like, what in the world?! but i’m so happy his excitement and curiosity has grown! i wish i could get inside of his head and experience what he is thinking about as he explores his new “toy”! these pictures are great, btw–they really help to capture his experience.
Love it!!!!! How cute! Was he talking to Garvey and Shabazz on the phone? Kitchen sets are sooo fun. Yes he may be the next big chef! I like Candace’s comment about using these pics as a reminder when he is a teenager. I love how you guys allow Chase to explore life. You don’t label toys by gender. Do I hear a mom and son restaurant in the works?(yummy) Another toy he may like is the 50′s diner. That is a favorite in our house.
He is so adorable! Love that kitchen too! Now remember to bring out these pics to remind him how much he loved cleaning up when he’s a teenager and doesn’t want to clean his room lol!
Too too cute! I LOVED my kitchen set when I was a toddler, and it’s probably the #1 toy I can’t wait to get for my first child. The first picture looks like he’s dancing and the picture of him with the phone cracked me up (and hubby too – I made him take a look!) =)
You got a future G. Garvin right there. Glad to hear he warmed up to it.