When we left for Australia my biggest concern was that my niece was going to forget me. At 10 months old her attachment and genuine recognition towards any person (exception of Lou, Ben and Oma) had been fleeting to say the least.
In the months since her birth I had been trying to get her to remember me and then one day it finally clicked.
She started to cry. But not just once. She cried every time she saw my face, day after day. HA HA! I thought, she knows whose face this is! Not the greatest triumph I may admit, having a face that makes babies cry puts me in the same category as the hunch back of Notre Dam and boil faced witches however, It was a success and one I was quick to latch onto.
So we flew out at the beginning of July, I with the sorrowful knowledge that in the 5 months we’d be away all my hard work with Nova would come undone.
Last Friday marked 2 months into our stint. A message flashed up on skype from Ben, saying ‘hello, are you there’ and then, ‘I have booface with me!’. Before I had a chance to reply my pc started ringing and bens face appeared on my screen.
In the background I can see Lou with boo up on the bench in the plastic tub (that I was shocked to see she had nearly outgrown) splashing away happily, squealing, gurgling, content as a pig in muck.
‘hello Novaaaaa!!!!!’’’ I scream into the video camera.
‘Nova, it’s your aunty, how are you possum head, I miss you, BOOFACER!!! I grin my biggest smile. I’m shouting so loud people are coming out of their offices at work to see what all the commotions about.
She pauses in her splash and looks towards the noise coming from the opposite bench where the computers perched.
‘’boooooooofacerrrrrrr, hello, hello, hello pickle, hello possum head, can you see me, take the camera closer!’ I squeal to Ben, unable to contain my excitement at seeing my beautiful niece.
Ben dutifully drags the computer closer to the bathtub.
‘boofacer!’ I say with delight as her face starts to de-pixelate. She looks into the camera. Her smile crashes. Her eyes round in terror and she bursts into tears.
I clap my hands together and laugh with delight,
‘thankgod!’ I say to Lou, ‘I thought she might have forgotten me’ .
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