The Cabin in the Woods (Jonathan Toews)

The Branches of the Olive Tree

Allison

Right after I hit the seven month mark of the pregnancy it was time for the baby shower. Sharpy's wife Abby, also one of my best friends, organized the party at her house for Dayna and I. She was our closest friend and she is so good at this kind of stuff. She usually ran bridal showers and baby showers and birthday parties or holidays for the team ever since she got here around the same time in did in 2009. Whenever we needed a event planned she was the girl to go to. I know she knows what she's doing with the baby shower because she already had a beautiful little girl and has gone through this all before. She's been a rock for me every time I realize I'm about to become a parent and my partner is going to be gone a lot so I'm going to have to be alone. She shared her stories with me and assures me it was well worth it. Sharpy has always been there for Abby and is obsessed with his daughter and he wasn't prepared for a kid yet either. But Abby assures me that Jonathan will be there for me whenever I needed him and so will she and Sharpy. It's nice to know I have people like that who won't just sit back and watch me drown.

And since the party was for Dayna too Jon and I got her a gift. It was a cute little baby carrier for Dayna to use at the games and a blanket Jon's mom made that matches the one she made for us. After we get her stuff wrapped up we head over to the Sharps where the party was ready for us. We walk in and there was already tons of people here. It was mostly just the hockey guys and their families. That included Q and his family and even Stan. I see a few of Jon and I's friends and of course his family. I walk around and say hi to everyone and end up talking to Dayna for a while like I always do.

"Wow... look at you! You're gorgeous" Dayna claims and I start to blush. It was a struggle to find a maternity dress for today but I liked the one I picked out. It wasn't anything crazy, just a navy blue dress with gold flowers on it, but I loved it.

"I'm honestly just trying to get through today without almost falling forward" I admit and she laughs.

"You girl... you are my strength. Every time I tell myself I hate being pregnant I think about you carrying two kids and all of the sudden I know I can do it with just one" she says.

"I'm starting see why twins are usually born premature, because no body is meant for nine months of this" I insist.

"Well you're doing a kick ass job, but I do want to meet the kiddos already" she agrees.

"That makes... a lot of people" I laugh.

"Do you guys have names picked out" she wonders and I smile.

"We do" I admit.

"We'll spill it" she demands and I laugh.

"I will when everyone's listening so I don't have to say it over and over again" I explain. I know how this goes, I tell one person then all of the sudden dozens of people are coming up to me asking me about the names.

"Can we get everyone together and it be now" she asks.

"I'm sure it can be" I shrug. I wasn't the one running this, so if Abby says it's okay I would love to get this over with.

And of course Abby had no problem with making a announcement so people would stop asking. So I grab Jonathan and he grabs me back. We turn to our friends that were waiting not so patiently for the news.

"So... what's the names" Patrick asks and I laugh. Patience was a virtue with that one.

"I'm gonna let Allison say them because it was her great idea" Jonathan claims and I just smile.

"Well the girl we're naming Olivia and the boy we'u naming Oliver.

We really want the kids to know that there's a bond between each other that's special and one of a kind. So the names sound similar to remind them that they mean something to each other, they're more alike than they are different and that's how they can get through life, with each other. They won't be treated the same or looked to as the same, but they're lucky enough to be able to have each other and we thought it would be cute if their names sounded similar.

And both those names mean olive tree so we thought it would be cute if their names have the same meaning. The olive tree represents peace and friendship and if those kids have that together then I think they're going to have a amazing life" I explain.

"So Patrick and Patricia is off the table" Patrick asks and I roll my eyes.

"Wasn't even on the table" Jonny claims.

"Are you sure" Patrick asks.

"Wasn't even in consideration" Jon assures him.

"Fine... I guess Oliver and Olivia are pretty cute" he sighs.

"I think they're wonderful names" Andree insists.

"Thanks. We even turned the tree in the nursery into a olive tree" I tell her and she smiles.

"I love it" she says.

After we announce the names we get the party started. There was a few games they got to play and it was pretty funny. Watching a bunch of those guys try to put a diaper on a baby doll blind folded maybe was a little more entertaining than it should be. But I very much enjoyed the baby shower, this team was something special and with the playoffs under way it wasn't hard to see that. And it makes my situation a little bit easier too with trying to figure this all out. I'm surrounded by people who want to see me good, who are so excited to meet the kiddos just as I was.