Montreal

This past weekend, Campbell received the first stamp in his passport as we traveled to Montreal to celebrate the wedding of my very first friend as well as Bubby Anka's 99th birthday!

The weekend was full of visiting with family and friends. Campbell got to meet so many people for the first time, so excuse the photo overload as I document his first trip to The Homeland.


On Saturday morning, Jayme came to have breakfast and meet Cam for the first time. We spent a couple of hours talking and catching up on the craziness of our lives.

Once upon a lifetime ago, we looked like this:

And, twenty-eight years, two weddings, one baby and two countries later... we are making new memories and continue to share a bond that only forever friends can.

Later that morning, Cam got to meet his Bubby for the first time. This remarkable lady who turns ninety-nine next week, cooed and loved on Cam just as I remember her doing to me as a young girl. She cracked jokes, told her remarkable stories, and made me seriously question the fact that she's nearly a  century old young.

How special that Campbell got to meet such a strong woman, who is literally living history.

Cousins Liza and Anthony stopped by to mush on the nugget, too

 

We left Cam with Mimi and headed to lunch to celebrate this matriarch and the 99 years she's lived so fully.

 

 We came back to the hotel and played and snuggled, and got ready for the out of town dinner to celebrate the soon to be Derksons!

 

We arrived at Tasty Foods, a classic pizza place we used to have our birthday parties at when we were young. The room was full of familiar faces and we spent the evening reliving past memories and talking about our current lives with people we haven't seen in years!

Rick and the groom, Phil

These four ladies used to carpool all the kids to and from school and activities together. They talked all night as if they hadn't missed a beat in the last twenty years.

Thank you, Liza, for babysitting Cam so we could spend such a fun night celebrating Jayme and Phil!

The next morning, we woke up to another packed schedule of visiting with friends and family. Campbell got to meet my sweet friend Gayle and her two adorable little girls.

And later that day, Vera and Norman brought my cousins Josh and Daniel by to meet Campbell and rough-house with Rick.

Josh was so sweet with Cam. He changed his diaper, wiped him clean, and held him when he was fussy. It made my heart melt to think that his dad used to do the same for me, and now he was taking care of my son. Where has the time gone!?!?

And then it was the main event. Jayme and Phil's wedding. I was honored to sign their ketubah and from the moment I saw Jayme in her stunning gown, the tears started flowing. I was so emotional the entire night. Memories of graduating preschool together, sharing a bunk at camp each summer, and dancing at our own bat mitzvahs flooded me the whole night. It was a gorgeous event for a beautiful couple, and we had such a fun time.

In the end, we were all exhausted and ready to go home. Though one little muffin was not so happy about saying good bye to his Mimi and Poppy.

We can't wait to get back to Montreal when Cam is old enough to appreciate Schwartz's and Orange Julep :)