Yarn Along

 So the knitting continues.... I finished up the Nb milo vest and made a hat to match using this pattern. It's actually a slightly different owl cable from the vest but I haven't decided which one I like better yet.  They aren't really wildly different.  I also started on a pair of booties from this pattern. These are the cutest things in the world.  I actually started them last week but then I ran out of yarn so I had to get some more....shucks an excuse to buy more yarn! The dye lots weren't the same b/c it's malabrigo but you'd never be able to tell that I changed yarn in the middle. I think these booties go very well with the milo b/c of the garter stitch but they are way too bog for a nb, then again so is the hat really so really the whole outfit is coming out more of the 3 month variety. I got some yarn to make some longies so that is next on the list and I started a baby blanket that will probably cause me to tear out a lot of my hair.  It's a lace pattern and while none of the stitches are hard to do keeping track of where you are in the pattern is a full time job!

These are the first projects that I have made that aren't really "for" someone so it's kind of a weird feeling.  People keep asking me who they are for and look at me slightly strangely when I say I don't know! So I guess I'll say they are for me! They are patterns that I wanted to try out and looking cute and fun and I'll figure out someone to give them to eventually. Maybe this is selfish of me but I only like to give handmade gifts to people who I know are going to actually appreciate the time and energy and thought that I put into making them.  And who will actually use it!

I worked all weekend and it was not a crazy madhouse so that was a welcome change from the previous 2 weeks.  We'll see what this week brings as I have to work again tonight and tomorrow and we had 3 c-sections scheduled. So I missed most of the 4th celebrations- didn't get to see any fireworks this year.  Frank took the boys to the big neighborhood bash and Xander told me many stories of the bouncy house and eating snow cones and Monday night asked to go to the party again so it must have been a hit! No pictures though b/c well...it's Frank. I didn't work the night of the 4th so we putz around the house, worked in the garden (trying to get it in a shape to plant something in....), and started digging post holes for the berry/grape trellises we have had planned for years.  We got one post dug and set and then it really looked like rain so we decided not to dig the next hole b/c it seemed silly to dig a hole just to have it fill up with water. So not your average 4th but a very enjoyable evening in all.

Yesterday I took the boys to the beach again.  My co-worker J and her daughter B who is 6 days older than James came and met us and so did my mother. And Frank came and had lunch with us. Unfortunately I didn't realize until Frank came that the loaf of bread that I brought had a good portion of mold on it so he didn't really get the nicest lunch ever! Somehow I manged to get slightly sunburned on my back again.... but despite that it was a lovely lazy day.  The boys played and swam and even took naps right there on the beach. We had PB&J and played on the playground and swam some more.  When it was all said and done we went to Longhorn for dinner- yum!  We were there from about 10:30 in the morning till about 5pm.  I always think about going to the beach in the morning but we have may have to go sometime in the afternoon after nap time.  I forget that the sun is up till 9 pm these days so there is plenty of time to do things after napping!  Again no pictures but this time b/c I forgot to even bring the camera! We have no plans for the weekend so we'll probably send some more lazy days around the house and at the beach- well there is too much work to be done around the house for it to truly be lazy but maybe peaceful is a better way to describe it. 

Ear update

So yesterday I took James (and Xander) to the ENT. James had his post-op tubes/adenoidectomy appointment and since I wasn't able to get an appointment for Xander b/c the office was so booked up the secretary told me to bring him in with James. I'm not sure the PA was thrilled with that plan but a tube check is pretty quick all things considered. All 4 tubes are patent and in place and Xander has no more drainage from his infected ear! On Sunday the drainage from his ear wasn't that much better despite almost 6 days of Bactrim so I was concerned that we were heading towards IV abx but Monday he woke up and the drainage was essentially gone. He told me his ear was "all better mommy." So "sigh" the bactrim has done the trick so far. Yesterday he developed a fine rash all over the back of his neck. Given that there is a history of sulfa allergies in the family I was concerned that he might be developing an allergy, but it was gone this morning. We spent the day at the beach yesterday before going to the dr so it was probably just his swim shirt rubbing against his neck. He does seem to be super sensitive to tags these days. I'm not keen on cutting all the tags out his shirts though.

We have had a busy few days. Tuesday we spent running errands and Wednesday we were at the beach all day. I would post pictures but I never got my camera out of the bag we were having too much fun! I bought a season's pass to Wares Grove Beach so I imagine we will be spending quite a bit of time there! I'm working all weekend so happy early 4th to everyone!

Yarn Along

 Well I have been busy knitting this week- knitting and working that is! It's been totally crazy at work recently. Apparently it was a long winter! My house is a total wreck- luckily the kids have been able to play outside most of the time recently so they haven't been able to wreak as much havoc on the inside as normal but since I have been knitting when I should be cleaning.... oh well. There will plenty of time to clean this winter right?!?!?!?!? So I started out by finishing up the reusable swiffer cover that I was working on. Since I haven't been doing much cleaning I haven't actually had a chance to use it yet but I am hopeful that $1 worth of yarn and my time will be worth many boxes of refills.  I may need to make several though in order to keep up with my cleaning habits.  It fits the swiffer pretty well at least.  I made one for myself and I also made one for the Diva knitted swap that I am doing right now. I used this pattern.

Then I finished up my project for the Diva swap.  I wasn't sure that I was going to make it by the deadline but I have it all done and waiting to go to the post office today!  I just need to write the card to go in it. I got some great cards that have saying like "A day without knitting is like a day without sunshine" and "I think I'll knit another row." I used this pattern.  It was the first time that I made gloves/mittens and they weren't nearly as difficult as I thought they were going to be. I have another pattern that I wanted to try but I have been afraid b/c it is for gloves but I think I might give it a go after this experiment.  I had a few problems with the left mitt in this pattern but after frogging half of it several times I think i finally got it worked out to my satisfication. I did have a major issue with the neck warmer but I was able to email the pattern designer (gotta love rav...) and discovered that it wasn't me being unable to count or screwing up- there was actually a mistake in the pattern! So after much frustration I got them all finished and blocked up. Rav details here.

Then I decided to jump into the milo vest craze!  I want to make Milo vests for both boys using some malabrigo solis that I recently got but I have a friend who is having a baby in December and I wanted to have something to exhibit at the fair so I started a nb milo to get me in the mood.  i am using malabrigo rios in raverly red for this and it is just the softest thing ever! I'm glad I did a test run with this one because I had a hard time with the underarms at first so I'm glad it it just on the nb size.  I'll probably do a hat and skirty and maybe even some booties to complete the set- we'll see.  I'd really like to do an owlie sleep sack but just one more thing to add to the queue....  So given all that and studying for my IBCLC exam I haven't done much pleasure reading.  I haven't even finished the book I started last week- how sad is that?!?! 

Xander's Errand Sweater

So I finished Xander's errand sweater today. I did end up ordering some more yarn because I knew it would bother me forever that it wasn't the way it was "supposed" to be. I ordered it from the same place that I got it from before and it ended up even being from the same dye lot so it was meant to be! Once I got the yarn it was quick and easy to finish up that sleeve cuff and weave in that last end and it was all done! I haven't blocked it out yet but Xander seemed to enjoy wearing it regardless. I had to bribe him to get him take it off. It might have something to do with the yarn- I used a cascade 128 Superwash 100% wool. It is super soft and thick and squishy. Hence the reason that I didn't want him to wear it when it was 80 degrees out! You can see all the details and my commentary on the pattern here.

An Answer...sort of

So we finally have part of an answer to the ongoing saga of Xander's ears. He started with that ear infection last Monday, by saturday it wasn't better so Frank took him back to the dr and started him on Augmentin. Well he was on the Augmentin for 5 days and his ear looked just as bad as it started out looking so I called the dr again and he had us bring him in for a culture and changed his abx. Well his culture came back positive for MRSA. So in a way I am glad to have an answer but this was certainly not the answer I was hoping for! His sensitivities came back today and a sulfa abx should work this time. So we started him on Bactrim today and hopefully that will clear it up... at least for now. We go to the pediatric allergy and ENT specialists at CHaD August 2nd (heck of a lot better than September).

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.

Happy Father's Day

We spent some time outside the four of us today- the hour or so inbetween me sleeping and going back to work. The boys were "helping" Frank till the garden. It's been so rainy and wet this year that we are WAY behind in term sof planting. At this point I am not even sure we will have a garden this year.

The boys and I made this cake for Frank earlier this week since I had to work Father's Day. It came out really cute! We had fun with the decorating anyway!