Thinking about the upcoming UAH hockey season

Let me first note that from now until she makes her debut our little girl will be known as “Dot”. We are waiting to reveal the name until after she makes her arrival in late September or October sometime. I just hate saying “little girl” or baby girl all the time in my posts and had to use some kind of name.

It should come as no surprise that when I say we are a hockey family that it comes to our kids as well. Some may remember that Butters was inadvertently planned around an entire hockey season and born right after UAH lost to Notre Dame . Butters went to his first Blue/White game at 6 months as well as his first UAH home game. While I was pregnant with him he was very active during the game, but during intermissions he sat quietly. Sometimes the movements were so strong that I had to leave my seat and stand up in the stair well below.

When we found out Dot’s due date we had to laugh. The timing of her is right around the time of UAH’s first hockey games of the season. While the official schedule hasn’t been released yet the one that USCHO has posted puts our first home game on October 23. This was just a little too amusing for us when we first heard. Now with her due date coming anytime at the end of September or first of October it looks like I might possibly not have to worry about going into labor during a game.

So one night this past week after Butters went to bed W and I got to talking about hockey once again. With the season approaching the topic comes up more often than not about what to expect with the season, our chances of getting into the CCHA and the last year in the CHA and of course trying to teach Butters to say “Bemidji sucks!”

But this time the conversation was more around Dot. W asked me if I was ready to take a 2 week old to her first hockey game and that stirred some conversation and worry on my end. Granted thanks to Stephanie's generosity I have the perfect ring sling to keep her in during the game and for when she gets bigger I have a mei tai that I’ve used with Butters for a long time and love. I figure that I’ll be able to dress her in a couple of layers to keep her warm as well as have a blanket if needed. My worry is learning to nurse in the sling. I’ve heard many people say that it is very easy but I need to get it down first hand. Also if I need a backup I have a good nursing cover I can use. So as long as I can keep her with dry diapers and fed I think she will be ok. Its Butters I’m more worried about. Last year it was a full time job during the game keeping him occupied. I am really hopeful that Alvin will be a little easier to control during games this year.

I’m just not sure how I am going to handle it all. I hate to say it, but I have even thought about not going to all the games this year depending on how Butters acts. Basically if anyone has advice on how to control a toddler with an infant please let me know.