Thin Ice (Corey Crawford)

Hot water

Samantha

It's the end of April now so it's also the end of the regular season. The Blackhawks were to take on the St. Louis Blues in the first round this year. It was going to be a physical game for they already don't like each other. The whole St. Louis- Chicago rivalry in itself is pretty fun, especially with so much on the line. The Cubs and Cardinals take the cake when it comes to the two cities squaring off but the Cardinals have the advantage with the Cubs having yet to win a championship in a really really long time. The same goes for the Blackhawks where they've won two cups in the past four years and the Blues have yet to win it all. But with both of them being in the central division they play each other a lot through the season. With the Red Wings out of the central division and the Canucks losing their competitive edge the St. Louis Blues would probably be the Hawks biggest competition at the time. Of course the Kings want to come back to glory after winning in 2012 and then the Hawks winning it last year. But they're out on the coast so the only time we really get to play each other is in the playoffs.

So I do my homework and get my plans together to go over with the other goalie coach Stephan. He has been the greatest mentor for me and my journey to learning this game. This organization has had some amazing goalies and are usually defensively responsible so it has made my job that much more fun. I feel a lot better about one day playing here for this team now that I understand the system, what's expected from them and where I need to be in order to fit in. Of course now that I'm ready to play I can't but we will get there... one day.

Unfortunately for me this morning I was defiantly feeling the effects of being pregnant. Being 14 weeks along means I'm getting into the second trimester now. The morning sickness should start to come less and less, but it doesn't make it suck any less than when it does happen. I absolutely hated throwing up, I would want almost anything else to happen besides throwing up, but I couldn't really do anything about it. It's a part of being pregnant so I must learn to love with it.

After I was done throwing up I brush my teeth a few times and go into the kitchen for something to get this lingering taste out of my mouth. I find Corey messing with a cup of hot water and a tea bag trying to figure out what to do with the two.

"Babe what are you doing" I laugh as he turns to me like I caught him in my underwear drawer or something.

"I know you can't have caffeine but you like to drink something hot after you get sick because it makes your throat feel better. So I'm trying to figure out how to make hot tea but I don't know how to get it out of the bag" he claims.

I laugh as I take the bag and set it in the hot water. "It stays in the bag" I tell him making him chuckle.

"That makes sense, but every time I get hot tea I don't see a bag" he claims.

"Because you take it out before you drink it" I giggle.

"How do I not know this? I'm almost 30" he says.

"Life is just one big lesson. We learn every day and sometimes it's as simple as making tea. Eventually it'll be learning how to be a dad. Just keep your mind open and you'll be okay" I say as I pat his chest.

We enjoy a nice breakfast and I drink all of my black tea. Since I didn't have to do anything for once I wasn't planning on making plans. My brother was off getting ready for graduation and the combine and my mom was working. Corey was already here with me and I had no hockey obligations. I was ready to enjoy our last piece of peace before the playoffs started.

"What should we order on the pizza" Corey asks as he looks throw the dominos website.

"Hmmm. Pepperoni, black olives and onions" I say. He turns to me with a questionable look and I just shrug. "Sounds good right now" I defend.

"Then whatever you ask you shall receive" he assures me.

So he orders pizza for lunch as I watch some HGTV. I wanted to start getting ideas for the baby room because we might still have 26 weeks left for the baby to get here but 14 weeks have already passed. Since I have the time right now I wanted to get ideas. The girls with the Hawks wanted to do a baby shower then we would have one here in Chicago with my family then with Corey's family in Canada. So I needed something to last me the span of three baby showers without getting the same thing over and over again. And I'm certainly not going to complain, I am blessed enough to be loved by enough people to have three baby showers, but it defiantly adds a lot to my plate.

"I can't wait to find out what we are having" Corey claims as he rests his hand on my stomach. He was obsessed with trying to feel the baby even though it's the size of a orange right now.

"You don't even care what it is" I laugh.

"I know. But I still want to know so we can take maternity pictures holding a sign saying "waiting on our baby boy or baby girl". We can start on the room and pick out cute little clothes. I can get goalie pads made for them and get their name on the mask. Plus I kinda have a tattoo idea" he admits.

"A tattoo" I question. He didn't even have any tattoos. Not yet at least.

"Yeah. I was going to get a goalie tattoo and the year I won the cup on the bottom then your name and the babies name on the top. Because it's you guys above everything in the end" he admits.

I smile at him as he waits to see my reaction. "I think that is a really cute idea. I want one too but with your name, not mine. Then the year we won the olympics" I say.

"That's would be really cute. We can be matching" he smiles.

"Where are you getting it" I wonder.

"I was thinking on my chest, right over my heart" he says. 

"Well I won't be doing that. I'm thinking on my arm, so I can show it off to everyone in the summers" I smile.

"Then it's done. But I'm not planning on getting it until at least the playoffs are done" he insists.

"I'm not going until the baby is born. One painful experience at a time here" I laugh.