I had planned on getting to Atlanta early enough yesterday to catch a tailgate with some other Canes fans. However, I ended up getting tied up down here in Montgomery in the morning, and got a late start. If I could get to the game by the pre-game skate, I'd be happy. So I loaded up little one and left for Atlanta around 2 central, figuring in time for dinner before the game. Little one slept just about the whole drive up, and she woke up 5 minutes before we exited for Chick-Fil-A, which is, of course, our favorite restaurant ever.

Then things got crazy...

We go into Chick-Fil-A and she doesn't wanna eat. Half a bite of a chicken nugget and a waffle fry and nothing else. Said she didn't feel good, but she felt good enough to play on the playground - go figure. Usually, if she doesn't eat, she doesn't get to play, but in this case I thought it might make her feel better to get up and run around a little. It seemed to work, as she was a little more energetic by the time we left. We got in the car and I had her put on her sweatshirt she was gonna wear into the game cause it was getting chilly. Into the city we went...

I never saw the MLK exit coming north, so I hit the Aquarium exit instead, since I'd taken that one before and thought I'd be halfway comfortable in my surroundings while trying to navigate my way over to the arena. Well, my phone rings as I'm making my way thru town, and it's my mom - just calling to make sure we got to Atlanta okay. Well, when little one hears me talking to Mom, she HAS to talk to her. Anyway, she tells my mom on the phone that she misses her and wants her and gets herself all worked up and crying. I mean like bawling her eyes out for no real good reason. So I try to get her to calm down - while trying to concentrate with all the traffic.

And she throws up all over herself.

Luckily, I had brought some pajamas for her to wear on the way home. Well... called an audible and she had to wear the shirt into the game, there was no saving the sweatshirt from the evil that is Fruit Punch Hi-C. The pants were salvageable, and I was able to take some wipes and sort of clean them off. I was worried that she'd get too cold, especially being as close to the ice as we were. But she never complained about being cold except for her hands. In fact, she slept on my lap for just about the whole game. The Thrashers' first goal woke her up - ya know, crowd, music, goal horn, etc. - but by the time Atlanta scored again to trigger another crowd pop in the second, she was out like a light. She woke up with about 5 minutes left in the game, in time to see Carolina's last goal.

So, in summary:

Ward was great...


And Brind'Amour won some faceoffs...


And scored a couple of times...


And went to the box...


And Staal put it on ice late in the 3rd...


And little one was sick, but happy.


Canes win 5-3. Good times.