Kanin's First Love

I think that every mother of a boy anticipates and dreads the day that her baby boy falls in love. Well for me, that has already happened. Nope, it's not what you think. It has nothing to do with a girl stealing my baby boy away but instead it is a game. A game where he could lose his teeth, get a concussion, get cut in the femoral artery and it is over. A game where I swore no son of mine would ever play. Alas, though, when he was only 18 months old he fell in love and the obsession continues.

I told Scott from the very beginning that Kanin was not going to play hockey. Sure, we could get him rollerblades and he could play around the house but he WAS NOT going to play hockey. It was way too violent. "More violent than a 95 MPH fastball coming in at his head?" he would ask me KNOWING that I have such a passion for baseball. "More violent than sliding into a base with a catcher throwing a ball literally down at where is head is sliding?" Dang, why does he have to have such good points.

Then, he hit a soft spot and told me the story of how when he (Scott) was younger all he wanted to do was play hockey. His mom said "No" over and over. Finally, one day his mom told him that if he got straight A's on his report card that he could play hockey. So little Scottie worked and worked all semester and came home with straight A's and his mom, God rest her Soul, broke the Mommy Rule and still told him "No" and his heart was broken. "April, if he loves it, why would you stop him from it?". Ok, he had me. Kanin could play hockey.

Fast forward a couple of years and who loves hockey . . . I DO! Love the game, love the fights, love the teamwork, love watching my little guy on the ice. So, I guess I'm a Hockey Mom and I'm Proud of It!

Here is a look into some of our memories:

Kanin's 1st St. Louis Blues Hockey Game in early 2006 at 2 years old.



Halloween 2006 (almost 3 years old)


Kanin's 3rd birthday cake was a hockey stick with a net.



Hockey game with Gaga in 2006 at 3 years old.



Gaga and Kanin got a stick and some pucks signed after the game in 2006.



Kanin in early 2007, 3 years old, while living in the condo.



I remember this picture because Kanin HAD to try on all of the hockey equipment. I'm not sure why we even went to Sports Authority that night but I remember that it was so cute. Check out the Spongebob slippers he has on, too.



How cute is he? He used to wear that hockey equipment all over the house. Most of the time he even took naps in those skates. Of courese, I still have them.




You can't fake that smile.


February 2010, at 6 years old, I took Kanin down to the St. Louis Blues Winter Carnival. Here he is with Eric Brewer.






I remember this was in early 2007, Kanin had just turned 3, and we met Uncle Jeff out at the Mills to watch the Hockey Blues practice. Dennis Wideman opened up the gate and gave Kanin a hockey puck. We were all so excited. For months afterwards Kanin was Dennis Wideman, Mommy was Keith Tkachuk and Gaga was Bill Guerin whenever we played hockey on the kitchen floor.



This is Kanin's "fight" look. He used to throw his gloves down and fight. It was so cute!



Still in the condo, Kanin was 3 years old in 2007.



Playing hockey in the condo kitchen was a daily occurrence.



In 2007, getting ready to turn 4 years old, here is Kanin at a Blues game.


In January 2009, when Kanin was 5 years old, he started Learn to Play hockey at the St. Peters Rec Plex. This is the first time he had to wear all of the equipment and hockey skates, too. They practiced actual hockey drills, skating, puck handling, etc.
At the end of 2007, when Kanin was 4 years old, he started ice skating lessons at Kirkwood Ice Rink.

In March 2008, when Kanin was 4 years old, he got to meet #7, Keith Tkachuk. I don't know who looks happier, Scott or Kanin?