Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Yarn Along



So I have actually been doing quite a bit of knitting recently- we'll call it an excuse not to clean my house even when I really need to! And I have had some motivation to keep going. I swear I am much more productive in the knitting department when I am really into the project I am working on! Frank says that I have been a knitting fool recently... really I think I have just gotten faster so I am knitting the same amount but now he is seeing more fruit from my labors. I almost finished another Errand Sweater this week. This is the pattern that I am testing for one of the diaper divas. I can tell you I love how quick it knits up! Unfortunately I ran out of yarn with one sleeve cuff left to go so I am trying to debate whether or not it is worth buying another ball of yarn simply to finish one sleeve cuff or if I should frog the other sleeve cuff and "make it work." Practically I should frog the other sleeve b/c really it isn't worth a whole ball of yarn just to finish 5 rows but another part of me knows that I am just going to be annoyed with it if it doesn't come out the way "it was supposed to!" Mom was making a sweater for May and she ran out of yarn too so I am guessing that the yardage estimates in the pattern are a tad short. Otherwise though I like the pattern a lot.

So since I have been debating the yarn issue I started in on a few other projects for a diva knitted item swap that I am doing- and need to get cracking on because I am 8 days away from the sending deadline and nowhere near done! I have been making reusable swiffer covers from this pattern which I think is completely brilliant b/c I got the yarn on clearance at Wal Mart for $1 and I made a reusable cover with it. It makes my frugal heart sing. I did discover along the way though that some of the yarn that I got is 100yds and some of it is 120yds so one was a better deal than the other but I think I'll survive the 20 yd shortage! Once I have made a few more up I'll have enough scraps to make a truly hideous scrap one but since I am just going to scrub the floor with it who cares! I had been very resistant to working with cotton yarn previously and while I still think it's a pain to work with it has grown on me a bit. It does feel softer once the item is knitted up. I bought a bunch of clearance yarn so I might actually have to make some dishcloths....

The other knitted item in my photo is a teaser shot for my swap partner...another first try at a new pattern so hopefully it works out b/c I am not going to have time to start something else before the swap deadline! I started that book the the other day too- "Heaven is for Real" and it's a pretty cool story. I like that he gets across his message without being too preachy. I'm only part of the way through but I am enjoying it so far. It definitely makes me want to take the boys seriously if they complain about a stomach ache!

Xander is still battling the ear infection of last week. Frank had to take him back to the dr this weekend b/c he had thick green/yellow pus draining from his left ear and after a week of ear drops it should have been better. They started him on Augmentin by mouth then but by yesterday it still didn't look too much better so I took him back to the dr again and they cultured the drainage. We're supposed to change his antibiotics and start him on a decongestant to see if that helps. Hopefully once we know what is growing in his ear we can get the right abx to treat it! It takes 48 hours to get the result of the culture though. In the meantime we have an appointment scheduled to see out local allergist at the end of July and hopefully we'll be able to get an appointment with the pediatric allergist and ENT at CHAD sometime in the vaguely near future- it looks like September though before we can get an appointment. I tried to get him into see his ENT here to get his ear checked out but even they couldn't see him until next week. James has his post-op appointment next Wed though so I am just going to bring Xander and ask him to look at his ears too. Usually every time we have had an appointment with him in the past he always checks out both boys. Mostly though we are both pretty frustrated with this whole process. It's like we traded one problem for another. Sure Xander had a few ear infections before he had tubes but nothing like he has had since! But he can hear now and he has made dramatic improvements in his speech so... I guess it is just the ongoing struggle to know or at least believe that you are doing what is right and best for your child. I know that for his speech and hearing issues doing PE tubes was the best option, but a second surgery later and 15+ ear infections I am not so sure it was the best choice for his overall health. Then again we had no way of knowing that he would have all these problems so.... hindsight is 20/20.

4 comments:

Emily said...

Sorry to hear your little one is having such issues with ear infections. Hope the medication finally helps and he begins to feel better.

I'm ignoring my house cleaning, too, to knit instead! Cleaning just is not fun and knitting is so relaxing.. ah well!

Anonymous said...

I ignore housecleaning by knitting, too. ;-)

The youngest in my family (brother & sister) both had ear problems and had to have tubes put in multiple times. Ugh.

Sending good vibes your way for your son.

karen said...

Hope your little one gets better soon. Both of my kids (now adults) had a history of ear infections, it was not fun. Your knitting looks beautiful!

Bairma said...

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Sincerely,
yours Bairma (your student from Uzon Russian Federation)