Carol's Story 

My name is Carol Pesce, I am Italian and moved to Victoria in May 2006 as a landed immigrant, with my husband and a 5-month pregnant belly!

After my son was born the public nurse visited me and provided me with information on local groups for families with young children. I learned about a group called ‘Baby Talk’ (now Best Babies) at Saanich Neighbourhood Place, conveniently located in my neighbourhood! 

Saying it was a lifesaver would be an understatement. I attended Baby Talk weekly, never missing a class for any reason, not even the major winter snowstorm in 2006 that kept many families indoors. I would brave the snow to get to Baby Talk, no matter what.
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What made the experience so special was meeting the incredible women who are now my close friends. After each Baby Talk session, a few of us began gathering for coffee at the mall to continue our discussions. Before long, our group had grown to eight, and we clicked effortlessly. We started meeting even more regularly in each other's homes for tea, coffee, biscuits, and our very own Baby Talk time.
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Flash forward 18 years, and six of us moms are still incredibly close. We’ve supported each other through the ups and downs of motherhood, collectively raising 19 children.

In 2008, we took our first trip to Mt. Washington with a few of the babies, and in 2016, we celebrated a decade of friendship with a getaway to Parksville. Last summer, a few of us ventured to Vegas, and we’re already planning more adventures together. Now, we regularly gather for ladies' dinners to catch up on our kids and our lives.

After countless birthday parties and beach days, most of our children are grown. This year, our firstborn graduated, and we all celebrated with our annual Christmas tradition, a Dim Sum feast. We are all incredibly proud mamas.
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I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to have found such a supportive group of amazing women and moms. I can truly say I’ve discovered “my village” and my family away from home. Thank you to Saanich Neighbourhood Place for playing such a significant role in this journey.

To make my story even more special, I found my way back to SNP, where I’ve been working as a program support staff for the past three years. One of the moms from my Baby Talk group has even seen her son volunteering in the kitchen, helping to prepare meals for family dinners.
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As an employee now, with my children all grown, I get to witness firsthand the beautiful relationships that form between new moms in our programming. It brings back fond memories of my own time in Baby Talk. SNP truly is a gift that keeps on giving, and I’m so grateful to be a part of this vibrant community.

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Sincerely, 

Carol