Distraction no longer an option

Dear husband and I are in a real pickle.

Darling daughter has decided the kitchen is her absolutely favourite spot in the whole house. Wonderful. And write that sarcastically as we don't have an open concept house and unless you are sitting on the kitchen floor, as I am doing right at the moment, the kitchen isn't all that tolerable as there is no place to sit.

Darling daughter is fascinated with playing with the fridge magnets, opening up the Tupperware drawer, and picking up dirt off the floor. Distracting her is no longer an option. We've been trying all week, but she literally cries until you open up the baby gate to let her into the kitchen. Once the gate is open, she is all smiles and full of good cheer. All she wants to do is play in the kitchen and sit on the nearby stairs.

So dear husband and I are all out of ideas. We don't like to see our toddler so miserable. Toys in the living room have no allure anymore. Neither does climbing on the furniture. I guess we will be making a trip to Ikea in the very near future to buy a cheap table and chair set because it looks like we will be spending a bit of time in the kitchen.