Knitting Friday - Kneesocks!

Well - these 2 balls of yarn were slightly different color values - but look how perfectly they match the design in my favorite rug!  This is Red Heart yarn called Heart & Sole with Aloe.  I started these socks (on size 2 needles) about 2 weeks ago for my son.  He is tall and thin and really, really wanted knee socks.  Cotton/acrylic socks seem to be all that we could find and that was just at one store.  Cotton/acrylic is not warm.  Finally, we found a pair of skiing socks, but after wearing them to school the report was... they fall right down his leg and end up "in a puddle" in his boots.  I guess boys don't wear knee socks anymore?  That is my guess anyway because I would think that the stores would have them.
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He wore these socks to school today and reported back that... he would like another pair!  In school he folds them down almost in 1/2 because he says they do fall down and are a bit itchy, but he says he doesn't care because he likes them so much.  Hummm.  You have to understand how very unusual this is for my son - who is so sensitive to "textures" that I have to inspect all his clothes before buying them to make sure they have the preferred style of seam, cut off all tags, etc.  Maybe they really aren't itchy - just a different feeling than he is used to on his leg.  I am going to cast on another pair for him and knit the leg shorter, but still taller than his winter boots.  How do kids cope with their socks being shorter than their winter boots?  Seriously, we have looked high and low for kneesocks and there are none to be found - most stores carry a short "sport" sock.  
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I knit this pair 9 1/2" total before dividing for the heel.  The top cuff is 2", but maybe I should have made it 3 - 3 1/2".  So, now I am thinking a pair of socks with a 3 1/2" rib and maybe a 7" leg.  If I do the rib in K1, P1 with 1 size smaller needle, it should stay up better than the K2, P2 I used on this pair.  I can't rib the sock itself because he needs these to go skiing and the rib won't be comfortable once those ski boots are clamped nice and snug.  So, this first pair may not be the perfect answer, but they are acceptable! 
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Seriously, I don't think that there is anything warmer than a nice wool sock!  He also has plain boot socks (wool - worsted weight yarn) to wear over these for skiing, so I am pretty sure his feet will be toasty warm!  If anyone has any suggestions or advice about knitting knee socks, please feel free to share!  I am sure the winning pattern will be a combination of many different things.
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Today is "On the Needles" Friday over at Judy's blog (click where it says "Judy's blog" in blue text and it will bring you to the link).  Go take a look at all the knitted goodness everyone else has been working on this week!