Year: 2006

Our last few hikes with Leilani were along the Kuilau Ridge and Moalepe Trail, and up Nounou, the sleeping gigant. We also went kayaking at Kukui Ula near Poipu, but she stayed on dry land.

Unsere lezten Wanderungen mit Leilani waren entlang des Kuilau Grades, dem Moalepe Weg, und auf unseren Hausberg Nounou, dem Sleeping Giant (schlafenden Riesen). Wir waren auch kayaken, bei Kukui Ula in der Naehe von Poipu, aber sie blieb am trockenen Land.

Leilani, 2/5/06 at the Arboretum

2/5/06 Kuilau Trail

2/10/06 Picnic Shelter on Nounou

Kayaking 2/12/06

Resting after all these activities

How come I always writes happy and positive articles on the blog? Well, not this time.

Colic

Leilani has, what her pedeatrician calls low-level colic (about 2 out of 5-7 days , 3-4 hours of crying, often with increased bloating and farting). It is pretty common, about 20% of all infants have it. The ancient Chinese called it “The 100 Days of Crying”. Thank God it’s almost over.

There are many medical theories about the cause, and nobody knows how to treat, let alone cure it. Immature nervous system, immature digestive system, mother’s diet are just a few ideas.

We tried to fix my diet. First the obvious: No onions, garlic, legumes (except soy), gassy vegetables (broccoli, kale, cauliflower…). Did not help. Cow milk free. (that’s harder than one thinks). Then dairy free (no goat cheese either). Next was Soy free, but I added back the dairy. Then an Aryurvedic diet that I had looked up myself – no raw vegetables, nothing cold, no legumes, gassy vegies. Later an Aryurvedic diet designed by a doctor. It got bad there: additionally no tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, raw fruit, eggplant,… I should write a list of what I am allowed to eat because it is shorter! Worked great for me, didn’t do a thing for Leilani.

Neighbors friends and relatives gave good and not-so-good advice. Among the not tried: Bottelfeed – which often really fixes severe colics. Never eat fruit and veggies at the same time. Over the counter medications for bigger kids and adults. Among the tried tried: Wait at least 2 hours between feedings – didn’t take Baby long to realize we couldn’t understand her subtle communications anymore and that it was best she screemed at the top of her lungs when hungry. In the middle of the night too. Other advice: She is just spoiled. She is teething. Nobody dared to recommend the crying it out approach to us though.

Most expensive approach tried: Arjurvedic diet and massages ($550)

Things that work (or at least distract) ocasionally: Swaddling, beer (for the mother and not too much), huge quantities of camomille, peppermint and melissa (lemon balm) tea (for the mother), bouncing, rocking, dancing (Beach Boys!), squats and lounges while holding Baby, belly massages and back rubs, catnip and peppermint drops for Leilani, digestive enzymes and lactobacilus acidophilus (dairy free) for me..

So far the best seem to be herbal drops that strengthen the immune system – she got them for a slight fever, they taste pretty bad, and in the beginnig she spat them out, but by now she seems to know they help her (or just got used to the taste).

Diaperphobia

Leilani doesn’t like to poop in her diapers. How do I know? 5 poopy diapers in the last 4 weeks. She wants the diaper off, and poops on the diapertable. How does she get us to let her do it? Holding it back, once she did not poop for 5 days…. Any further questions?

If she has to go and the diaper is on she fusses until we take it off. If she really has to go in her diaper we have about 5 minutes to change it, until she gets hysterical (stopping the car by the side of the road and changing her right there kind of hysterical).

Saturday, the 28th of January we took advantage of the nice weather and walked from Kealia, just north of Kapaa to Anahola with Julian. We went along the planned, controversial bikepath. The coast is beautiful as it is, mostly wild and pristine, but there is a lot of trash and rusty cars in some places. Andy took about 200 photos, other than that we had a lot of fun, even found some coconuts along the way. Leilani really likes our hikes, but we still need carshuttles because we only walk north to avoid sunburning her sensitive skin.

Samstag, 28. Jan. spazierten wir von Kealia, noerdlich von Kapaa der Kueste entlang nach Anahola, Julian begleitete uns. Wir gingen entlang des geplanten, kontroversiellen Fahrradweges. Die Kueste ist wunderschoen, wild und naturbelassen, aber stellenweise liegt viel Abfall und sogar rostende Autowracks. Andy hat ca 200 Fotos gemacht… abgesehen davon hatten wir viel Spass, fanden sogar Kokosnuesse unterwegs. Leilani mag unsere Wanderungen, aber wir muessen noch immer aufpassen und nur in noerdliche Richtung gehen (und abgeholt werden) damit sie keinen Sonnenbrand kriegt.

Andy and Leilani playing in the sand
Andy and Leilani beim Sandspielen

Leilani, eating lunch
Leilani beim Mittagessen

I and Julian walking, Leilani in the sling
I and Julian spazieren mit Leilani in der Trageschlinge

At the old bridge to the mainland (damaged by huricane Iniki)
An der alten Bruecke nach Kalifornien (von Hurikan Iniki zerstoert)

Yesterday, Sunday, was the first time Leilani has consciously smiled at me. She has smiled in her sleep before, and also when passing gas, but I consider those involuntary. But over the last week, Mommy spent a lot of time making faces and smiling, and Leilani “learned” to smile back. Yesterday I got to try for myself, and it was incredible to smile and see her smile in return.

Here is a big smile that I caught on camera today. She was actually smiling at Mommy and then looked up at the camera:

I actually don’t think she “learned” to smile, the dream smiles proves she knew how already. Like sneezing, coughing, and yawning, smiling seems to be an innate reflex. But through Mommy’s playing and patience, Leilani now actively smiles, in response to our smiles. I think this is also the first time she really reacts to us on the conscious level.

Sunday we went to Mahaulepu and walked a long undeveloped stretch of south coast, from the Hyatt in Poipu (Shipwreck’s Beach) to Kawailoa Beach.
Sonntag machten wir einen Ausflug an die Mahaulepu Kueste, und spazierten von Schiffbruch Strand (Hyatt in Poipu) zum Kawailoa Beach.

Shipwrecks:

Andy started out carying the Baby, and could not clim the rock, so I had to.
Andy trug das Baby und konnte nicht auf den Felsen klettern, ich erledigte das fuer ihn.

Leilani encountered her first Monkseal
Leilani begegnete ihrer ersten Moenchsrobbe

Butterfly along the way (Monarch on Orchid tree) (no link)
Schmetterling unterwegs (Monarch am Orchideenbaum)

Leilani along the way
Leilani unterwegs

Rosemary and I