Need I say more?

I did manage to distract him long enough to put the hat back on (after he pulled it off as if it were a medieval torture device.. hey, it does kind of look medieval doesn’t it? Sort of  like he belongs on the Life of Brian!) and take a few more pics. Just enough to make me feel like it wasn’t a total waste of time and effort.

Shot with my Digital Rebel
Sigma 30mm 1.4 Lens at these settings:
F 1.4 (wide open baby!)
Shutter speed 1/100
ISO 800

Image editing in Adobe Lightroom.
Babe Magnet Onesie from Old Navy.
Free crochet pattern from Crafty Rah Rah’s Blog.

In other news, Jasper had a low grade fever when I went to pick him up from Daycare last night! 100.4, nothing to be concerned about, but it does exlain his increased fussiness the last few days.

We were trying to figure out if it’s teething or an ear infection…

Teething makes sense because a) it’s about time he got a tooth! b) he’s been biting Sophie so hard lately I’m amazed she hasn’t busted a hole!

Ear infection makes sense because he’s had a really stuffed/runny/snotty nose for almost two weeks now. From what I understand ear infections usually follow a cold or something.

The other symtpom is a lack of apetite, which could actually be attributed to either of these. I didn’t even realize he had a lack of appetite until I bothered to actuallly READ those little reports that daycare gives me every day of how much he drank when, when  he had his diapers changed etc.  I don’t usually look at the amount he ate because he ALWAYS eats his whole bottle. But yesterday I noticed he only had about half of his bottles, and then I looked at the day before and it was the same thing.

Whoa, how long has THIS been going on?

This would actually explain the fact that I’m experiencing a huge dip in supply. I’m pumping half what I normally do (on a good day). If he’s been taking in a lot less than normal I guess I have my reason.

I started eating oatmeal in the mornings, trying to drink more water and a couple cups of mother’s milk tea a day. I have a call into my lactation consultant too, I’d like to know how many oz he’s getting now.

Ugh, just when everything seemed to be going so well!

We have an appointment with the pediatrician’s nurse practitioner this afternoon at 3:00. I just want her to look in his ears so I can at least have an idea if it’s an ear infection or not.

If not I guess it’s teething.. but I don’t feel or see anything on his gumline. Is it normal to have such accute symptoms like fever and appetite loss if he’s not actively cutting a tooth?

I’d appreciate any insight, I’m clueless about both ear infections and teeth coming in.

Here’s how it came out:

I added the furry white pom pom and the furry yarn to the ties to make it more frilly.. I also made the little flower out of felt I had left over from Jasper’s Felt Mobile project. The button in the center was from my mom’s antique button collection which inspired the shape of the flower.

I haven’t seen Gemma in it yet because she was not in a hat wearing mood at her party, but I hope she’ll get some good use out of it during the remainder of this nasty winter we’re having in the northeast!

Here’s a picture I snapped of Tracy with birthday girl Gemma:

The light was really low, but I still didn’t use my camera’s flash and was able to save it in photoshop.

Here’s what it looked like SOOC:

I cheated a bit on this one and after some basic adjustments I ran Pioneer Woman’s “PW’s B&W Action” from her Action Set I.

Hmm, actions? What’s this??

Yes dear reader, I have been holding out on you …

There is an entire world out there of free and paid “actions” which are a series of steps to manipulate a photo that run automagically.  They are completely and utterly addicting, which is not the reason I haven’t talked about them yet,  it’s because I believe that actions are amazing and fun and helpful, but it’s really important to understand how to do some basic manipulations yourself first. That way you can tweak the actions and even make your own rather than churn out the same effect over and over again.

But now that the cat is out of the bag, go download Pioneer Woman’s Action Set I.

Oh, and read her blog too, it’s like bloggy crack!

My next post will be about how to load the actions and some links to my other favorite free actions. If you are impatient like me and can’t wait, a google search will most likely offer up the steps!

Not to say that I don’t like doing crafts, or am not creative enough, I just have an issue with follow through.  In fact, more than 20 years later, our eighth grade sewing teacher STILL does not let me forget that I never finished my yellow and black plaid button up shirt (hey, it was the 80’s!).  All I had left to do was the buttons. But I never did.

Such is the story of me and most craft projects. So you can imagine how excited I was that I a) found a crochet hat pattern simple enough for a beginner like me could follow and b) that I actually FINISHED it!

Here is Jasper modeling his new Crochet Flyer Hat!

Mom, Why are you Making me Wear this Stupid Hat??

Notice that the little flap in the front can be worn up like in the first picture, or down like in the second.  Also notice that I should have ironed the right corner that is curling up and looking very funny in the second picture! (Also also notice that I should have ironed the grey curtain that got on clearance at target and am using as a backdrop for these pictures.)

Here’s a link to the pattern If anyone else wants to try it (you need to complete a free registration on the Lion website to be able to download/view their free patterns) and the picture from the pattern of what it is SUPPOSED to look like:

I should say that I needed to use a much bigger needle than the pattern called for which I realized when I checked the gauge. I used US 10, but the pattern initially called for US 6.  I also added a 5th (1 extra) row to the front flap because 4 looked much thinner to me than the pattern picture.  I used the infant size instructions for a 16″ head circumference, which is what Jasper’s was when I measured. It fits, but it’s a bit snug, so if your baby is over 6 months I’d definitely use the toddler instructions.

I think I feel a crochet addiction coming on..