Still Searching? Gifts for Him featuring Jord Watches

Sometimes the hardest person to shop for is the person that is the closest. I find it so difficult picking that perfect, thoughtful item for Dan without going by a detailed list with links that he gives me. I always need to have some inspiration to get the creative juices flowing. 

If you have the same gift idea blocks that I do, I hope this list can help find that je ne sais quoi we are all searching for. Posh, playful, practical, or a combination of all three, he is sure to love what is waiting under the tree.

POSH

A watch is a classic, timeless gift that he will use every day. But not even watch is created equal. Materials make a difference. Jord Watches offer a minimalist aesthetic with the natural and contemporary appeal of wood. The slim profile is made possible by Swiss movement that will fit easily under cuff or coat. Multiple design options are available; I preferred the large, flat face of the Frankie Series. No one can resist a sharp dressed man.

www.woodwatches.com

$189

PLAYFUL

I have to be honest, I think I want one of these! A perfect addition to an office or man cave, this Crossbow Dart Game from Best Made Company is that perfectly quirky gift that he never knew he needed. With a steel target and a stock made of beechwood, this toy is as pleasing to the eye as it is to play. Made in Germany. Available in two sizes.

www.bestmadeco.com

$75 - $98

PRATICAL

My hubby is definitely Mr. Prepared, but a bit lacking in the organization. This handy caddy is a perfect solution to helping Mr. Prepared keep all those "just in case" items at his fingertips. This genius item is the Trunk Commander by Duluth Trading. With removable dividers, outer pockets galore, and trunk tie downs, it will haul everything needed and keep in place at the same time. And two tape measure docks pull double duty as bottle openers when its time to pop some tops. www.duluthtrading.com

$99

God Jul och Gott Nytt Ar!
Emily

Linnea || Six Month Update

CLOTHING

Linnea is still comfy in the 3-6 month clothes, with a few 0-3 month pieces still fitting. I did break into some hand me downs in the 6-9 month range. It's great to have a growing girl!

SLEEPING

Sleeping like a rock star! Linnea is taking about three good naps during the day. And by good, I mean I have no idea how long the naps are. All I know is I can play, feed, and put Ethan to bed during her naps. They are very coordinated (by no help from me!). Her evenings can vary and when she goes down for the night tends to be different every day. But she typically sleeps through the night every night waking only once in the early morning (5-7 am) to feed and then back to sleep.

EATING

Breast feeding is still a challenge and I think will always be a challenge as it is effected by her strong-willed personality. However, I have been noticing we are experiencing fewer terrible BFing days. The ugly cries are fewer and farther between. So although I can't say we have turned a leaf, we may have learned to cope. I try to feed her from the breast as often as I can, but she is still receiving bottles at daycare. I seem to be able to keep up with her needs by pumping and my freezer stash is helping out. The saga continues...

DEVELOPMENT

She continues to roll over like a champ. Tummy time is a distant memory as she flips over almost immediately. We have started to work on sitting a bit more aggressively. She almost has it! She is still tripod-ing and can sit for a few seconds by herself before getting distracted by something just out of reach. She falls over so gracefully! :) We have also been looking for signs to start solids. As we will be following the BLW method as we did with Ethan, we will be waiting until she makes the indication she is ready. Since sitting is progressing as is her use of her thumb and pointer, it may be just around the corner. Linnea has also been working on some teeth! Although none are pushed through she has taken to chewing on anything she can find, although her favorites are Natursutten pacifiers and her SugarBooger teethers.

BIG BROTHER

Ethan is wonderful big brother. I can tell he wants nothing more than to play with Linnea. Although, I know that would greatly challenge his sharing capacity. He has recently become extremely taken with trains. I got his some train tracks from IKEA as an effort to keep him playing in his room. I can't quite tell if they are my saving grace or the bane of my existence. Time will tell... Ethan's speech is progressing. I still have to ask him to repeat quite often, which thoroughly frustrates him. He is enjoying the days he is at daycare, especially the Wednesday water days during the summer. I am happy to see him improving his play (and sharing) with other children. I see some compassion in some of his actions that I would expect from a two year old. Ethan attended his first play! We went to a show that was an interesting interpretation of Pinocchio. I was pleasantly surprised at how well he did. It is such a blessing to watch him learn and grow.

MOM + DAD

We got a date night! We got a date night! Woot! This has been a busy month for sure! Changes with my work schedule had me on site more often which means kids at daycare more often. This was a hard transition, yet again. But back to date night...Dan and I were able to sneak away for a few hours to attend Dan's company party. It was a boat cruise down the St. Croix river and we had the perfect night for it. Dan was also in on a MAJOR surprise. My older sister was flown in from Vancouver to spend a week with my family. I hadn't seen her in about 2 years. It was a very special time. We took a day trip to Duluth to ride the "Thomas the Tank Engine" train. Ethan was beside himself and I'm not sure he knew how to process what was happening. Having a hard time managing his emotions, he was crying and whining a bit more than usual. Although it was a fun day, it was completely exhausting. We took another weekend trip to Freeport, IL to visit my Grandparents and also attend to town's cruise night. We trailered Dan's classic truck to be involved in the cruise. Dan loved being out and about with his truck! It was a great visit that ended too soon! The month rounded out with Dan's birthday on the 18th. another night out we could celebrate together. Can't believe that all happened in a month! Minnesota summers are always busy and eventful!

Vi ses senare!
Emily

Linnea || Five Month Update

CLOTHING
Finally we are growing out of the 0-3 month clothes! I just put away all the 0-3 or 3 month onesies. She still fits into a few select Old Navy specialty pieces that are 0-3 month sizing. This feels like a huge milestone! She is mainly wearing 3-6 month or 6 month clothes.

EATING
Can I be any more of a broken record? The struggle is still so real. We have good feedings and bad feedings. Good days and bad days. We nurse about five to six times per day or roughly every three to four hours. I try to sneak at least one pumping session in per day but some days it just doesn't happen. She is still pushing away from me and arches her all while still latched. Ergh! Not comfy. Our not-so-great feedings are most likely taking their toll on my supply. I am needing to be very diligent in my water (120+ ounces per day) and protein/fat intake and making sure I don't go too long between feedings or pumps. Public feeding is still a nightmare and almost totally out of the question. I'm still on a 3 hour tether to home.

SLEEPING
Linnea is still sleeping great. Still taking non scheduled naps during the day and sleeping at least 8 hours during the night. She doesn't seem too inclined to sleep in her crib during the day any longer. She is fine in her cradle during the night but wants her swing for the day naps. I'm totally bumming! I really didn't want her to have a swing dependency! We will keep working on crib naps. Cross your fingers!

DEVELOPMENT
I honestly think her development is off the charts! (What mom does, though. amiright??) Physically, I can tell that she is growing in length (if not a bit more girth. yay!). She always rolls right over when placed on her tummy. She is holding her head up and moving it around wonderfully. We started spending more and more time in the bumbo chair. We are working on her slightly flat head and I think it is improving. She is connecting with anyone that looks her in the eye and graces them with a huge smile and maybe a little giggle. She has taken to squeaking her desires. Literally, the squeaking doesn't stop. But so much fun.This is the fun part; to start seeing the amazing growth in a matter of week to week right before our eyes. Truly a miracle.

BIG BROTHER
Oh, life with a toddler. He is so energetic. But so much fun! We are still working on listening and obeying (that will never end, I can imagine). Here's to hoping all this work will be fruitful in a few months or years. Ethan had a wonderful Independence Day. I loved being able to see him truly enjoy the fun of the holiday now that he can start to participate in activities. He is always trying to include Linnea in his fun. His goofy faces and giggles always make her smile or join in the laughter. It is so precious to see their bond growing.

MOM + DAD

This is the last month of my modified return to work. I am dreading spending more time away from Linnea and I am a bit worried what more pumping will do to my milk supply. These weeks have been crazy busy with the holiday and the start of my mom's chemo treatments. Summer seems to be slipping away quickly. Dan is also busy with work and playing softball on Wednesday nights. The kids and I were hoping to go see him play more during the summer, but the one night we did go, it proved to be way too chaotic. Ethan acts like he took 5 billion crazy pills and Linnea is a struggle to feed in an open field surrounded by men. Not the place I want to pioneer #normalizebreastfeeding. So, we have been staying home this summer. Right now I feel like we are in the well-oiled machine stage of marriage, when our life is taking care of the kids, but not much time for each other. We get a few hours in the evening to sit together, but our mantra is currently, "wait for me."

Vi ses senare!
Emily