Toddler Hugs

 

 
One day Wen, Bo Yu and Xavier were playing together.

 Bo Yu was thinking... "hmmm, his head looks really soft.  Wonder if I can touch it."

 

"No, Bo Yu, not like that!"

  

 "Here, let me show you how.  Hug him gently like this."

 

"Oh, like that!  Got it.  How about a group hug?"

A very special package for Wen

A package arrived at our children's home this week.  It was addressed to a very special little girl.

When she woke up the next morning, we told her that when she came home from school, after her lunch and nap there would be a very special surprise.

Actually, there were many wonderful surprises:

 

The very first thing she lifted out was a photo album:

"Oh, wow - these people are going to be my FAMILY!"

Better check them out very carefully:

 

 And look, a ball!

 And clothes too!  Wonder what's in this little package?

SUNGLASSES!  "Do you think I look cool?"

 

Better try this thing out to make sure it works:

"Wow, other neat toys too.  This is even better than my birthday!"

How do I look in my new clothes?

 "OK, I'm going to leave that stuff there for now.  I'll come back and get it later.  But the photo album comes with me!"

Please say a special prayer that Wen's family can come to meet her very soon.

Thank you, LWB!

We are very grateful to our friends at LOVE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES who recently donated a large amount of preemie diapers.  While the number of babies in our preemie unit varies month by month, we are often very short of tiny diapers, and these cannot be sourced in China.  We rely on donations from abroad until the babies are big enough (usually around 5 lbs or 2200g) to fit in our newborn size cloth diapers.

Here are some of the little ones who have benefited from this generous donation:

 

 

And a few more photos to show how perfectly these tiny diapers fit:

 

 

Thank you to all who donated diapers, money, or space in your suitcases to carry them over to us.  Truly, your love knows no boundaries!

Where's the ball?

Jie

Jie has changed so much in the past few months; it is hard to convey the incredible difference in words.  Her skin is no better, but with EB we know this is normal and to be expected.  It won't get better.  What is improved is her level of interaction, her trust in her caregivers and her physical development.  

When Jie first came she screamed though most of her dressing changes.   She was very withdrawn and did not find comfort in being held, rocked or sung to.  Now her personality is really beginning to emerge and she's a delightful child to be around.  She tolerates her dressing changes very well.  And her social skills are so much better!

When you walk into her room (or even just pass by the door) she will look up and call out. If you don't reply, she will call out even more insistently.  Once you speak to her she'll really start "talking" and you can tell she's so happy to have your attention. 

 

But then sometimes she gets a silly, shy face, like she's embarrassed by all the attention.

 

But the best thing is when she smiles; her little face just lights up the room.

 

 Caring for a baby with such serious medical problems is never easy.  But seeing little Jie learn about happiness and trust makes it worth it, a hundred times over.