I Changed Even More

When I learned that I was assigned to spend the mornings with the babies, I was rather intimidated because I had little experience with children in general and no experience with children with special needs. The first day, I avoided Richard because I had no idea what to do with him. He seemed unresponsive to those around him, did not interact with people, and slept most of the time.

The third day when I went to the foster home, I felt that I needed to spend time with Richard even though I was unsure about how to interact with him. I fed him, held him, sang little songs to him, and put toys in his hands to play with. It did not take long for me to feel a special bond with Richard. He responded and interacted with me for over an hour. I discovered his ticklish spots and delighted to hear him laugh and giggle. As the morning progressed, he felt so comfortable and peaceful that he snuggled and soon fell asleep. The next day, he did not want to be held, but he was still very interactive and vocal while we played with various toys. With some encouragement, I got him to hold his bottle for the first time! He actually held it for several minutes until he finished the entire bottle.

 

 

Although I saw a great change in Richard in a few short days, the biggest change was in my heart. In just three days, I went from being intimidated to being enamored with this beautiful little boy. I no longer saw a baby with special needs. Instead, I saw a lovely little boy who loved to laugh and play. Richard may have changed during my time with him, but I changed even more. I will always remember the look on Richard's face as he responded to my voice and his exuberant laughter.

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This post was written by our intern, Ginny