Legos and Baby Dolls: Nashville Predator Youth Hockey Night

As part of NYHL, my son's hockey team got to skate out onto the ice at Bridgestone Arena during the first intermission at a Nashville Predator hockey game. When my husband first told me about this opportunity for L, I knew it would thrill him. Sometime back he was able to tour the players locker room and he was talking about it for weeks. So, as any proud hockey mom would be, I wanted to be there to see him skate out onto the ice where the "real" hockey players skate. The only problem was that I was also the nursing mother of a 5 week old. Our pediatrician said "no crowds" prior to 2 months of age, and I wasn't sure how I'd manage to nurse him during a hockey game... BUT, after hearing from another friend that took her son at 5 weeks old, we broke all the "rules" and took the whole family!

The Family

The hockey players had to arrive super early, so the non-players (E, Baby O, and I) rode with my dad and came at game time. I was able to carry Baby O into the arena wearing my Baby K'tan, so by the time we got inside he was sound asleep.

Love my Baby K'tan!

We met L and my husband at our seats just in time to be able to watch Gnash and all the players enter (the kids favorite part). When E saw Gnash enter on a four-wheeler she yelled, "Gnashie has bike!" She was so excited.


Gnash on his "Bike"

L left shortly into the first period to get dressed. Then, as the first period ended, the little boys skated out onto the ice for their 3 minutes of fame.


Here come the little boys!

L, skating out onto the ice at Bridgestone Arena

That's my boy, #6, trying to get the puck around his friend Jack


#6 is L, at the back of the line

L had a great time and was pretty excited about "scoring a goal." After he got back into his street clothes he returned with a funnel cake and a bag of cotton candy (pink, for E).

After Practice Snack

Cheese!

Baby O was really great. He woke up a few minutes into the game, got to watch his big brother, and then contently sat in my lap and watched the game (or the people behind us). At some point I did give him a few ounces from a bottle, but he never fussed.

O at his first hockey game!

O and I

Then, with a few minutes remaining in the game, Baby O drifted off to sleep. He was perfect! The Predators lost, but I think we all had a really great time anyway.