Baptism Details

If you have travelled back to our blog, it means that you probably just received Sebastian’s birth announcement or Baptism invite.

We thank you for being in our lives and for continuing to share in our story.  Our family will try to post some special memories here, so check back from time to time!

Here are the details about the baptism:

3:30 p.m. Church Service

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 

3840 Finch Avenue E, Toronto ON

There is an exit off of the 404 from Finch 
or you can take the 407 to Kennedy.

- Godparents -

Joanne’s brother and sister in-law, 
Alex and Laura Babalis

Arsenios’ childhood friends, 
Adrian and Claudia Tomassi

5:30 p.m. Dinner Reception

Hazelton Manor (Where we got married!) 

99 Peelar Road, Vaughan ON

The fastest way to get to the hall would be to take the Kennedy entrance of the 407 and get off on Jane.  The hall is just around the corner!



*   *   *   *   *

Please RSVP to Joanne with the number of people attending (infants, children, etc.), as well as any allergies/dietary restrictions by June 17th, 2016.  

To view our dinner menu click here.  The Hazelton Manor is very good about making changes to certain ingredients, removing parts of the dish, or providing you with an alternative to enjoy your meal!

by email - shareinourstory@gmail.com

or by phone - see invite for #

Also be sure to check back at previous blog posts to view more images from when Sebastian was a newborn, and Joanne’s first Mother’s Day.

We look forward to re-connecting with you and celebrating this important day in our son’s life!

Little Miracles

Big Moments

Sebastian's first painting experience at 3.5 months old!

On Saturday I attended one of the Ontario Reggio Association's (ORA) Documentation Study Sessions hosted by Ellen Brown at York University.  You might ask, well what does the above image have to do with this learning opportunity?  As a new mom, and one who continues to be strongly influenced by the Italian educators from Reggio Emilia, I have already started to document  my young son.  It has been very interesting to take all that I have learned and tried to apply in my Kindergarten context to an infant.  My hope was to create a provocation for Sebastian, so that together we could begin exploring paint.  Bringing in this photograph for a group of us to study, proved once again the power of pedagogical documentation.

This was the write-up that we created for his grandmother's on Mother's Day.

Sebastian loved spending time in my creative art studio!  He was so curious by all of the colourful books and supplies!

If you are a parent, you may wish to use these Crayola paints.  They come in many different colours and are non-toxic.  Something I have come to appreciate is so important! 

Hope that you all had a lovely Mother's Day! We already printed out some of our pictures with the Wal-Mart photo app!

I wonder what masterpiece Sebastian Dean will create next...

Children are making meaning from birth.  

Documentation is a valuable resource that allows 

us to listen carefully to their communication. 

It offers an opportunity

to study their capabilities and competencies.

                                                                                       -Ellen Brown

What a wonderful world!

Today marks my very first Mother's Day!  I am writing this blog post with one hand (at snail speed), while my tiny prince sleeps peacefully in my arms.  The sounds that he makes and the look on his sweet face, take my breath away!  I wish that I could bottle up these moments, and am not trying to exaggerate when I say that I am cherishing each second with him...

Sometimes it is still hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that I am a mom and that I have the important responsibility to raise a child!  It was only a year ago, that I found out I was pregnant while studying with the Italian educators in Reggio Emilia.  Words will never sufficiently be able to describe the excitement that I felt knowing I would become a parent, or what it has been like to watch my baby grow!

I proudly admit that my son is the very best part of me (and my husband of course!).  He is already a curious and creative little guy who wakes up every morning with a smile and a few giggles. My hope for him, is that he keeps this positive outlook on life and that he continues to stare out of his window dreaming of all the possibilities!

My heart is full today, and every day since this precious angel came into our world.  Here are a few photos captured by Aminaz Karim (of @loveoverlenses) from Friday's photoshoot in Edwards Gardens, Toronto.  Sebastian was 3.5 months old or 15 weeks.  Where has the time already gone?  

Special Mother's Day wishes to my Mama, Marianna Babalis, who is a grandmother for the first time!  She now has two grandsons, and Sebastian met his first cousin who joined our family on May 2.  Mom, I don't even know if you read my blog, but thank you for being such strong role model.  I hope to be half the parent you continue to be!

Happy Mother's Day also to my mother-in law, Andrea Vergis, and of course to all the other special ladies in my life, like my Godmother, grandmother, aunts, etc.

If you are a mommy, granny, or aunty, I hope that you have a memorable day too!

Thank you again to @loveoverlenses for this super fun collaboration! Aminaz, your beautiful photos and the experience of working with someone who shares my positive energy made my first Mother's Day extra special!  I'm truly speechless by your natural talent!

P.S. We selected the Toronto Botanical Garden, Edwards Gardens, as I was feeling a little sentimental from my Fall maternity shoot at the same location!

Photoshoot details:

Photoraphy - Aminaz Karim @loveoverlenses

Location - Toronto Botanical Garden, Edwards Gardens

Clothing for S - Old Navy Baby

Clothing for Me - Old Navy + Sperry + Folli Follie

Hair - Framar Salon

Makeup - Moi! 

Props - Indigo, Crayola, Pantone, and Michaels

Flowers - Yellow freesias that I arranged!

Styling/Details - Me!

Interested in partnering with us or know anyone else who might? Email me here.

I see trees of green, red roses too

I see them bloom for me and you

And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

                                                                              -Louis Armstrong

Patience, love and hope: A new mother's perspective on the image of the child

A sneak peek at our young artist dream nursery.  This is a special wooden wall with toys from around the world.

As my newborn son sleeps peacefully in his crib, I use the background jazz music to help me focus on writing this blog post for you…  

It is no secret that I am a new mom! Although I continue to have many ambitions for the future, I have made my baby the top of my priority list.  Life as I once knew it, has changed forever... Everything that I do now, whether it's read a book for my PhD course, plan an upcoming presentation, answer emails, make dinner, etc. revolves around our little guy's schedule.  This has been a major learning curve for my husband and I who have been fairly independent up until this point.  Together, we have really embraced the challenges of parenthood and look forward to all of the joyous times that lie ahead of us!

Baby S is seven weeks and three days old.  Here he meets his very curious big cousins for the first time.

For as long as I can remember I have always adored and respected children. When I work with them in the classroom or in any capacity, you won't catch me yelling at them, making them feel less than, or forcing them into doing something that makes them feel uncomfortable.  My "image of the child," as strong, capable, knowledgeable, valuable contributor, decision-maker, learner, and teacher is something that I carry with me daily.  It is this image of the child, inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, that acts as the foundation of my teaching philosophy and is at the heart of my program.  It grounds my practice and supports my reflection of what I can do to improve the conditions for our youngest learners.

Mommy presents for the first time since giving birth and Baby S is happy when she returns home!  He is exactly seven weeks old.

Now as a parent I feel as though I have an even higher regard for this image of children.  I recognize what it takes to go through nine months anticipating your little miracle, praying each night for a healthy pregnancy and baby.  I understand the fear and struggles that come with the uncertainty of the labour and delivery process.  As well as, the tender love and care for this delicate little creature as they enter the world.  

I only know two months of what it means to be a parent, but have gained new insights and perspectives for when I return to the classroom.  

Every family sends their precious angel(s) to school. What a gift to be entrusted with this important job!

Newborn photography shoot.  Our first family portrait captured by Janine Daponte Photography.

I have come to appreciate that every family has their own unique story.  Some families may have tried to have children and it took them several years, while others may have had them sooner than expected.  Some may have had a difficult pregnancy while others a harder birthing experience.  Regardless of the story, they remained patient, loving, and hopeful.  After four years, this child that they cared for and watched grow, is now in the hands of someone else.  Do we as educators even realize how much effort goes into the first few years of our students' lives?  Are we patient, loving, and hopeful?  Do we give all children equal opportunity to thrive and support their growth along the way?

My son is nowhere near school-aged, but I already worry about who will educate him when I am not around.  Will they respect him and inspire him to love learning?  Will they empower him to be reach his full potential?  Will they encourage him to pursue his interests? Will they listen to his ideas and make him feel like he matters?  Will their image of the child match my own?  The thought of anything less, truly hurts my heart…

Tonight, I sat in front of my laptop within a dark nursery, so that I wouldn't wake up my newborn.  I  didn't have a plan of what I would write…  These are my current thoughts, and I hope that my new perspective might remind us of how fortunate we are to be in the presence of young children.  They are all special blessings sent from above, and perfect in their own way!  To me, their innocence is about the closest glimpse we have into heaven…

Our sweet angel this past Tuesday at seven weeks and six days old.  He is growing so quickly!

Enjoy the rest of your March Break (those who have one!) and perhaps begin your last term of the school year with just a little bit more patience, love, and hope for your students!  I am certain that their families will forever be indebted to your strong image of the child.

Thank you for continuing to be part of this amazing journey! 


Sincerely yours,

Joanne Marie Babalis

Baby S visits mommy's TransformEd Creative Studio space at four weeks old.

There are hundreds of different images of the child.

Each one of you has inside yourself an image of the child

that directs you as you begin to relate to a child.

This theory within you pushes you to behave in certain ways;

it orients you as you talk to the child, 

listen to the child, observe the child.

                                                    -Loris Malaguzzi

Hello world: A birth announcement

Today we celebrate the first month of having our son, Sebastian Dean Vergis, on this Earth!  We waited for him for over forty weeks and thought it might be fun to share a few photographs from his newborn photography session to announce his arrival and welcome him into the world.

I knew that I wanted to select a photographer who was creative and experienced.  My list initially consisted of ten different newborn specialists, and after careful consideration, I contacted Janine Daponte Photography.  Ideally, I was searching for a photographer who could bring to life my vision of our baby as a dreamer floating upon clouds.  When I saw Janine's website, instagram account, Pinterest pins, and Facebook page I was instantly drawn to her enchanting photography style.  Every image was more magical than the next!  It was obvious even before I met her and visited her studio, that she appreciated detail and had an artistic flair.    

Collaborating with Janine Daponte and her partner Lee Lidbury was a wonderful opportunity for my new family and I.  As I walked into their whimsical world of photography, I couldn't help but smile at how beautiful all of the vintage furniture and props were that surrounded me.  From the fresh flowers to the nature sounds, I knew that I had come to the right place!  It felt like home, and a peaceful treat from the stresses that came with labour and delivery.       

When Janine began to work with our baby boy she was so gentle and caring.  It was easy to trust her and very evident that she had a great deal of experience with newborns and children.  I loved how she pre-planned that he might feel cold and had a small heater plugged in near her photo shoot to warm him up.  We stayed in her well-lit fairytale-like studio for almost four hours... Throughout this time, both Janine and Lee remained focused on delivering their high quality, as well as extremely patient with our feeding breaks or washroom accidents!

I wish to thank them both for being such an important part of our first memories with our tiny prince. We will always remember this special family photo session and cannot wait to return!

Here are a few photos that she captured of our little angel:

Are you curious about the vintage fairytale studio?

Here are some behind the scenes shots that I captured from our newborn photography experience within the stunning studio space:

Special thank you to the Janine Daponte Photography team for this incredible collaboration!  Words cannot begin to express how much we will treasure these images for the rest of our lives...

If you are expecting a new baby, have young children, or know anyone else who does, I highly recommend this studio experience!  You will not be disappointed, and I guarantee that you will be craving more opportunities to return the way that we do!  

To contact Janine Daponte Photography please click here.

P.S. They also photograph maternity shoots!  It's too bad that I hadn't discovered her until the end of my ninth month pregnant...  Maybe next time around!

Stay tuned for an upcoming post on the Baby Nursery that I designed! 

Before you were born…

we dreamed of you, we imagined you,

we prayed for you.

Now that you are here, we hope for you,

we love you, and we thank God for you.

                                                                                   -Unknown author