Where was I?

Ah yes, the charity hats. So I had finished the first Charmed hat and had CO for the second (because when is one of anything really enough?) -- I decided to try for a smaller gauge and used a different yarn that I had in the stash (Lambs Pride) -- when little man decided to "help mommy" by shutting the door as I lost my balance and reached up to the door jam to steady myself. I'm sure any onlooker could tell you what happens next, but I was sick at the time, as was little man, so I was a bit foggy. At any rate, my broken finger seems to be healing nicely. I didn't let that stop me though! I had some incentive to finish up some WIPs.This little skein of Gryffindory-goodness came from my "personal" stash and I wasn't going to allow myself to CO for a pair of socks in honor of the upcoming releases until I finished a couple projects. First up, the Violets socks that I started... gulp... last year.

That's right folks, I finished the first sock back in November I think and the second has been sitting there in my pile just waiting to be finished. The yarn is 100% merino from Sunshine Yarns and I think it is safe to say that I was wound up a little tighter than I have been of late because even though I checked my gauge throughout, the second sock came out a little bigger than the first. Gauge, you are my ultimate nemesis! The recipient didn't seem to mind, but it irritates the **** out of me so I promised her another pair. Next up, I give you the merino scarf. This was also started a while back but I thought I would just toughen up and finish so I could stop fiddling with the splitty yarn. Which, by the way, didn't really soften up to my liking with the first wash, maybe with a second... A simple "k1, yo, k2tog* that ended up blocking out to a tad under 6 feet in length. I've also been working on the TT2 socks and made one of those hexagonal Mason Dixon Washcloths but I gifted that before a picture was taken. Oh well. I'm guessing there will be more :)

I have this bush-like thing (I couldn't tell you what kind it is) on the side of my house that blooms every spring and then spends the rest of the year turning various shades of brown to the point where you're not sure if it's dead or just playing dead. I mention this plant because it goes along with Project Spectrum.

I had a little company this morning when I went out, camera in hand.This would be the hubby's nemesis. Along with the ants. He's trying some sort of homemade concoction to put on the ant hills in our yard. I'll keep you posted because I can tell that you're on the edge of your seats!

Earlier in the post I mentioned that little man was sick. I thought I would elaborate a bit because it's part of the long wait between posts. So little man got a cold which led to an ear infection which then led to antibiotics. In the meantime he gave the same virus to me and to little miss who also developed ear infections.... It's such a lovely cycle. Anyway, somewhere in there little man's body decided that it really didn't care for either the virus or the antibiotics and, after seeing several doctors, he was diagnosed with Erythema Multiforme. For those of you curious enough to find out more information feel free to search to your hearts' content. Basically his entire body erupted in multiple lesions while his immune system worked to clear out the unwanted gunk. I can't even begin to tell you how irritated I am with the "physicians/specialists" that I dealt with. So... I went to my acupuncturist who gave me some herbs and creams and he had pretty much cleared up within 3 or so days. This picture was taken early on before he got too bad. Poor little guy had the lesions in his joints even so his legs were all swollen and he was gimping around the house.... Very hard to watch! I am happy to say, though, that he has since cleared up completely and is doing just fine :)

As you can see!

It would appear that overnight little man has developed a certain aversion to bath-time so I thought I could help persuade him by getting him some special goggles just for bath time... Didn't work. He does like to wear them though because they turn everything "bwoo".

Now we can't post picture of little man and not throw some in of little miss! She is continuing to chat up a storm and is walking all over the house as long as she's pushing something, no solo jaunts yet!

How do they sleep like that?

Getting better and better

Uh oh, naked needles can only mean one thing. Yes ladies and gentlemen, we have a finished sock. Hooray!!!!!

I actually finished it last night and sewed her up and everything but at the time I thought that I would wait to take a picture of the sock until tomorrow foolishly thinking that the morning light would be better than the lighting at 10:30 pm. At any rate, one more sock down however many to go. I am kind of nervous about this one though. It fits me fine, and I can stretch it out length-wise to the point that I think it will fit my aunt alright since her foot isn't much bigger than mine, but you never know. This is where the stress of knitting for others comes into play. If it doesn't fit her I'll keep it, make the mate sometime in the future and make a different pair for her lengthening the foot a little bit. I hate ripping things back. Especially after they're finished. I will admit that I don't darn socks either, I'll just make new ones :) Now that the purple sock is completed I will work on the mate to the green sock .

In other news, we got the results of little man's allergy panel this morning. Not only are we allergic to peanuts, we are allergic to milk and eggs too. I know what you are thinking, because I thought the same thing... what the hell did she do to him when he was in utero, and how can be be allergic to milk and eggs -- he drinks milk daily and has eggs 2-3x/week. His peanut allergy is moderate (class II) and his milk/egg allergy is mild (class 1) and is most likely manifesting itself through his skin as Eczema-like dryness... So this sucks. Milk and eggs are in everything. I can't get in to see the Allergist until mid November so I called his Pediatrician back to discuss menu options. Obviously no peanuts/peanut products and although he will most likely outgrow the milk/eggs thing, it is best to stay away from them as it helps children outgrow them more quickly. I will be picking up some soy products when I pick up his EpiPen (because we get to carry one of those too) later today. Speaking of little man, why is it he will walk around wearing swim goggles

but only his doggie (one of 5 now, although this one is still the favorite) will keep an eye patch on?

I thought I would throw in some pics of little miss. She was very happy that the Bears won yesterday - she is quite the football fan!

Is it over yet?

Today was one of those days that seemed to last forever! I took the vehicle in to get some exhaust/muffler work done and happened to get some knitting done while I waited - which wasn't so bad... The bonus about being 5 feet tall is that your socks don't take that long to knit -- the second bonus of the day is that the recipient of said purple sock has a shoe size that is only a half to one size larger than mine :) Then I got the call that "little man's mouth is turning bright red!" What'd you feed him? Peanut butter. So I make the guys at the service station drive me home while they finished fixing the vehicle and called the pediatrician office regarding another matter and asked what their recommended dosage of Benadryl was.... the call ended with a doctor's appointment an hour from when I hung up the phone and no car. Luckily the service station had excellent customer service and had finished working on the exhaust pipe and drove the car to me so I could load my minions and off we went. Needless to say, aside from a cat nap from little miss, neither had slept yet :) Drew some labs, sent them off, we'll know in about a week... I'm hoping that it is not an actual peanut allergy and is just due to his very sensitive skin... No peanut products the rest of his life would suck. No PBJ's, no Peanut M&M's, have to carry around an Epi pen... Got them home, they both slept for a while, I enjoyed a beer and threw in a load of laundry. (Relax, it's after 4 by this point - I can have a beverage) Fun stuff.

Speaking of little man.... And do you think that little miss has her daddy wrapped around her little finger?

I think she knows it too! Look at that smile

Time for a bigger shirt? I am planning on finishing the purple sock here shortly and will commence work on little miss' cardigan. I liked the pictures of the cardigan over at Sock Pron so I thought I would try that pattern. I am hoping that I will have enough yarn for the hood, but if not I am okay with just the cardigan. I'll keep you posted!