Without much family in Canada, the Summerses have definitely taken on the roles of aunts and uncles and cousins in my life; people whose house you feel as comfortable in as your own, people who have seen you grow up, and people you know will be by your side to celebrate important occasions. When I was younger, our Russian community was maybe 10-15 families strong, and we would celebrate major Russian holidays all together in local parks, with food and games and sometimes even traditional costumes. There are definitely some photos out there of preteen Nadya in dresses and traditional headwear. Hopefully those photos continue to stay buried in the sands of time.
But, as life went on and kids grew up, our Russian community dwindled to a few core families, one of them being the Summerses. There is no one I know who throws a party like Vera and Vera Summers. They are a mother-daughter pair, and they are so incredibly creative, hardworking, and overall inventive, that every time I walk into their home for birthday, New Years Eve, or in this case, a baby shower, the house is transformed with lights, photo collages, streamers, balloons, and of course all kinds of amazing treats.
On this occasion, we gathered together to celebrate a baby shower for Fiona and Andrey, and their brand new baby Theodore, or Teddy. The shower was fairytale-themed, and the Veras really outdid themselves. All around us were toys and flash cards on which we could write well-wishes for the new mum, the drinks were Alice in Wonderland themed, the snack table was straight out of a child’s imagination, and on the wall there was a giant page from a book, beginning to tell the story of Teddy’s life. Perhaps the most whimsical part was the dessert table, where one of the attendees crafted a cake shaped like children’s books!
It was such a bright and happy day, being able to celebrate this new baby, and just being surrounded by so much love and support. I was glad to have been there to capture all the moments for the sleep-deprived parents to enjoy in 18 years, once they finally have a nap.
