First Playmobil Car

I found an ad for this little Playmobil car on craigslist and talked Michael into driving over to the lady's house late one night to get it.  I like Playmobil because the toys are German-made and I think more eco-friendly than many American toy companies.  If I could buy all eco-friendly toys for Matthew, I definitely would!  Cost is a factor in most cases, but not in this one.  The little car (and driver, not pictured), only cost $4!!  Matthew thinks it is pretty cool, but at this point in time he is mostly interested in using it to ease his aching, teething gums.  Thus, for now it lives on my bookshelf and only comes down for brief interaction with Matthew, as in when he is having a diaper change and Mom needs some cool toy as a distraction to get her boy to be still for two minutes.  :)

Baby Eczema :(

Matthew has an eczema rash on his arms, back, tummy and legs.  It was worst on his left arm in this picture taken December 28th, but as of today (January 26th), his arm looks better and his back looks to be the worst.  We've seen Dr. Dramov, our naturopath once already and he recommended cutting out dairy (again) for me, and continuing to use the California Baby lotion that I had been putting on it.  Dramov's opinion is that it is eczema with a little yeast in it, and the lotion contains some anti-yeast ingredients, so maybe that is helping.  I'm also not great at remembering to put it on every day.  Maybe if I was better at that, it would be gone by now.  We're also supposed to be taking a probiotic every day (Matthew and me), but I haven't been very good about that one either.  :( 
We see Dr. Dramov Monday for a recheck and we'll see what he says then.  We also see Dr. Pritchard, who is Matthew's very cool and pro-integrative medicine pediatrician, for his nine-month wellchild visit.  Maybe she will also have some ideas.

Winter Walk

The day after Christmas, we bundled the baby up and went for a short ride in the Bob, just to get some fresh air.  He's smiling here, but he really was not all that happy to be so bundled up . . . for some reason he is adamant about not wanting to get in his nice warm snowsuit.  Said snowsuit was a welcome baby gift from my cousin Roni and her husband Gary, and it really looks so fleecy and cozy that I wish it fit me!  I'm still hoping we'll get up to Mt. Hood this winter so Matthew can play in the snow and wear this suit again. 

First Christmas!

Matthew got SO many nice things for Christmas!  What a lucky little boy he is to have so many people who love him.  Aunt Christy and Uncle Dean and cousins Ryan and Jessica gave him a Fisher Price walker that plays music and has lots of little knobs and switches to flip.  Aunt Kathy (my aunt), gave him a little electronic book that plays music and lights up.  The last picture is one of Matthew with a lion he got from Grammie and Gramps.  Funny thing is that he hardly plays with it at all.  I think he is sampling the lion's foot in this picture and it must not have had the right texture or something.  :)  Oh well.  Perhaps he will like it later.  Or maybe he can regift it to a younger brother or sister someday.  ;)

Big Tub Time!

This picture was taken Christmas Day.  Matthew got a boat from Grammie and Gramps (my parents), and we figured he would have more room to play with it in the big tub rather than his infant tub.  I think he was a bit overwhelmed about all the extra room around him.  He was all over the place and slipped at bit at one point and went face-first into the water.  :(  All in all, he did pretty well, but that has been the only time so far that he has been in the big tub.  We went back to the small one for a little longer.  Since I am usually the one who gives him his baths now, I prefer having him more confined and within arm's reach.  :)