pattern help please...

[shelluie]

I'm stuck again on this hood for a baby sweater. Here is the pattern:
Cast on 5 stitches.

Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: Purl. At the end of the row, cast on 2 stitches using either cable cast-on or simple cast-on method.
Row 3: Knit. (7 stitches)
Row 4: Purl. Cast on 2 stitches.
Row 5: Knit. (9 stitches)
Row 6: Purl. Cast on 3 stitches.
Row 7: Knit. (12 stitches)
Row 8: Purl. Cast on 4 stitches.
Row 9: Knit. (16 stitches)
Rows 10-20 (even rows only): Purl.
Row 11: Knit 1, make 1, knit 15. (17 stitches)
Row 13: Knit 1, make 1, knit 16. (18 stitches)
Row 15: Knit 1, make 1, knit 17. (19 stitches)
Row 17: Knit 1, make 1, knit 18. (20 stitches)
Row 19: Knit 1, make 1, knit 19. (21 stitches)

Work even without further increases until hood measures 81/2" (21.5cm) from cast-on edge. End with right-side row. Don't bind off. Place marker to indicate end of first half.

Second side of hood: Work even for 5" (12.5cm) from stitch marker. On next wrong-side row, begin with row 20 and work back to row 1. Mirror shaping by decreasing on rows where increases were made, and bind off stitches on the rows where stitches were cast on. When row 1 is finished, work should measure 81/2" (21.5cm) from stitch marker. Bind off remaining 5 stitches.

I'm to the second side of the hood and have worked my 5 inches from the stitch marker. How do I decrease? Knit the last 2 stitches together? And then it says to co where I would have M1 - how do I do that? Cast off the second to the last stitch or the last stitch? I'm so close to finishing this sweater....I don't want to mess it up now! Thanks for helping out this newbie!!!

[suzeeq]

Do a decrease that seems right a k2tog if it's at the end of the row. Instead of a BO, just do a dec, use ssk if it's at the beginning of a row. It can be 1 st in or the end stitch.