A Face I'll Never Forget

So, this post is going to go back in time a little bit. This is Lorena, but I knew her as Lori. She left the hospital about 2-2 1/2 weeks ago, about a week before Augustus left. And while I love Augustus, I think Lori has been my favorite child I have had the opportunity to spend time with at the hospital. I'll never forget this girl and the time we got to spend together. Particularly our first afternoon. I was with Rachel, who had been to Lori's room before, so she took me up to see her on the 7th floor. We had fun coloring and chasing balloons around the hall, but she was quiet and shy the whole time. Then, Rachel left to go spend time with another baby, and Lori and I got to spend the rest of the afternoon together.

I gave her some snacks and we sat and colored. We chased balloons around some more. Slowly but surely, she started talking and opening up more and more. We played hide and seek. I would run and hide in some obvious location and she'd run over to me to me and laugh and smile, so I would pop out and act like I was surprising her. Then it would be her turn to hide and I'd wander around saying "Unde este Lori? Lori, unde ai plecat? (Where is Lori? Lori, where did you go?). When I would find her, I would pick her up and throw her in the air and she'd smile and laugh. As it got dark outside, I would pick her up and we'd look out the window at all the lights from the traffic and the city.

My favorite thing about Lori is that every time I had to leave, I could just hold her and look her in the eyes and tell her "Lori, trebuie sa plec." (Lori, I need to leave) and she'd just look back at me with those big eyes and understand. I'd set her in her crib/bed and she wouldn't fuss or cry or even make a sound. Just look back at me with those loving eyes. We spent several afternoons together and I felt like we became friends. But one day when I came to see her, her mother - who had be incapable of coming in and seeing Lori - was there to pick her up and take her home. Without any kind of warning, I lost my friend. But I'm so happy she's better and gets to be with her family. I miss this little girl.