Toys

Sasha's pretend play has started picking up lately, and I know it's really going to accelerate soon. Yesterday, we gleefully took her to the toy store to get her some new toys.
She's been fascinated by vehicles lately, especially busses. She got a toy car, a toy bus, and a toy train car. As I expected, she has been playing with them. She makes the car and bus drive around the house, up the walls, across tables, over people's legs, whatever. She likes to make them crash together and exclaim "Accident!" in her careful enunciation.
I was also looking for a toy dump truck for her. One of those nice big ones that you can fill the back up and then dump the load somewhere. My husband found one and we got her that. He taught her how to fill the back full of blocks and dump them on the floor.


My husband saw a toy tool set and we got it for her. He knew it would appeal to her emerging engineering side. In Montana, she was always carefully watching her grandpa and dad when they worked with tools. The tool set has little toy nails with a hammer, and toy screws with a screw driver and a wrench. She likes to try to turn the screws with the wrench while saying "turn turn turn". She also likes to run around the house with the toy hammer and bang on everything with it.

I think I know what I want to get Sasha for her 2nd birthday! A play kitchen. We're considering maybe setting it up in the kitchen so she can pretend to cook while we do our 'real' cooking. This is the one I have my eyes on (click pic to view larger):

It's the Lifestyle Partytime Kitchen. This one has a telephone, microwave, clock, drawers and storage spaces, oven, refridgerator, and even some toy spices. How cool is that! Okay I think the spice rack is what got me ;)
However I noticed it doesn't have any "stovetop burners". How can a kid pretend cook without some pretend stovetop burners? My husband saw another kitchen set that had a coffee maker. But then again, they do sell realistic toy coffee makers separately so that's always an option too.
Decisions, decisions.

Another birthday present options I'm considering (click pic to view larger):
It's a doorway playhouse. Great for small spaces, and highly recommended by online reviews.