Being involved in helping orphans for more than 4 years, I'd never pictured a 15-month old baby would actually try to talk to me with a headset and webcam over the internet!!
This happened! Chloe is this 15-month old baby girl who recently left Shanghai Children's Medical Center after receiving her anal atresia surgery. She has become such good friends with me. We entertained each other every day at the hospital, we toured the famous Shanghai bund together, she learned some new words from me, we actually had a girls' sleepover one night at my place too where she put her feet on my face the whole night while sleeping comfortably... Also at my home, I showed her my webcam and she got her first taste of high-tech. I had to laugh so hard when she picked up the remote without being taught and started to talk to the remote, like she knew it was a webcam conference call.. haha
It was very hard to say goodbye to my smart and funny buddy upon her discharge, but she brought me such a pleasant and surprising evening from her foster mom's home two days after she left. Some stranger added me on my internet messenger. After adding the contact, this familiar face popped up, the only thing I didn't quite recognize was the big headset on her head. I had to shed tears and yet laughing to realize that's my little silly buddy! Soon following the image, I heard a clear and familiar voice screaming out "ayi, mama", then all you saw was Chloe waving and throwing kisses on the cam, jumping on and off the foster mom's lap. I didn't know how to respond to that as this was a whole brand new way of communication, I'd never had it with any other orphaned child before. I laughed with tears, cried with laughter! But Chloe was so kind to me and didn't wonder why I behaved differently, she just went on and showed all the tricks she learned from the hospital *LOL*
I am so thankful to her Chinese foster mother who took such good care of her during her hospital stay and allowed her to "mess up" and tried out her son's high-tech gears. And I can't be prouder of my high-tech baby buddy!!Tingting
PS. Sorry picture quality is not very good as the webcam bandwidth is not great.
