Category: Uncategorized

Development

It is a lot of fun to watch Leilani learn new things. Even sucking her fingers was a skill that she had to learn (and she still has troubles with the thumb).

Smiling had many stages, from little dream smiles, to smiling at her toys and mobiles, smiling at people to laughing when she sees herself in the mirror – or maybe laughing at Andy brushing his hair, we never figured that one out.

Motor skills – First she learned to grab fingers, then other soft things blankets, bibs and spitwipes, and then of course to stuff them into her mouth. Soon after she played by hitting Mr. Mouse, a toy that has a little bell attached, and missing more often than hitting. Most recently she is also grabbing her teethingring. She can hold rattles and other toys, but only after we place them in her hand, and she does not yet play with them.

Imitating – to entertain her we make funny faces, sticking the tounge out, opening the mouth widely and saying Aaaaahhhh, eyes wide open and round mouth saying Oooooohhhhh … you get the idea. Anyway, mostly she just smiles, but sometimes she tries to imitate, especially sticking out the tounge . Twice she tried to imitate the Aaaahhhs – the conversation went Aaaaahhhhh – ee – Aaaaahhhhh – ng – Aaaaahhhhh – aee – Aaaaahhhhh – ngng – many more times, but I’ll spare you :-)


Es macht Spass Leilani beim Lernen zuzuschauen. Sogar Fingerlutschen war etwas das sie erst lernen musste (und mit dem Daumen hat sie noch immer ihre Probleme).

Laechen hatte viele Entwicklungsetapen, angefangen mit kleinem Traumlaecheln, spaeter laechelte sie Spielzeuge und Mobiles an, und schliesslich Leute. Laut hat sie gelacht als sie sich selbst und Andy im Spiegel betrachtete, waehrend Andy seine Haare buerstete.

Geschicklichkeit – Zuerst lernte sie nach Fingern zu greifen, dann andere weiche Dinge, Decken, Baterln und Spucktuecher anzugreifen und zu halten und natuerlich in den Mund zu stecken. Kurz darauf begann sie mit Mr. Maus zu spielen – einem Holzspielzeug mit einer kleinen Glocke – auf die sie recht ziellos einschlug, um zu klingeln. Letzter Entwicklungsschritt: sie kann ihren Beissring aufheben und in den Mund stecken. Sie kann Rasseln und andere harte Spielzeuge halten, aber nur wenn wir sie ihr in die Hand geben, und spielt noch nicht damit.

Imitatieren – um sie zu unterhalten schneiden wir Grimassen, stecken die Zunge raus, reissen den Mund auf und sagen Aaaaahhhh, machen Mund und Augen rund und sagen Oooooohhhhh … Meistens lacht sie nur, aber manchmal versucht sie uns nachzumachen, besonders beim Zungezeigen 2 mal versuchte sie die Aaaahhhs nachzumachen – das Gespraech das folgte war: Aaaaahhhhh – ee – Aaaaahhhhh – ng – Aaaaahhhhh – aee – Aaaaahhhhh – ngng – viele Male mehr, aber das erspare ich Euch :-)

Third Month: Grabing, Suckling, Chewing (kind of)
Dritter Monat: Greifen, Zuzeln und Kauen (zahnlos)
Teething Ring Beissring
teething ring

Pink spit wipe approaching mouth
Rosa Spucktuch im Zielbereich
pink spitwipe approaching

Stuffing pink spit wipe into mouth
Rosa Spucktuch wird in den Mund gestopft
pink spitwipe stuffing

Bored with pink spit wipe – can I eat the blanket?
Rosa Spucktuch wird langweilig – kann ich jetzt die Decke essen?
eating blanket

Random Photos (9th week)

Biggest smile yet
Biggest smile yet

More smiles
smile

Andy on a log on Wailua Beach
Andy on a log on Wailua Beach

Rainbow on our lanai (porch) Regenbogen auf unserem Balkon
Rainbow on our lanai (porch)

Watching the clouds Die Wolken ziehen…
Watching the clouds

Suckling the blanket Leilani zuzelt an der Decke
Suckling Blanket

How we clean the baby…
How we clean the baby

Much later addition

Recent Outings

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
Leilani, 2/5/06 at the Arboretum

2/5/06 Kuilau Trail
Family, 2/5/06 Kuilau Trail
Andy and Leilani, 2/5/06 Kuilau Trail
Sonja and Leilani, 2/5/06 Kuilau Trail

2/10/06 Picnic Shelter on Nounou
2/10/06 Picnic Shelter on Nounou
Top of Nounou

Kayaking 2/12/06
kayaking

Resting after all these activities
rockingchair

The dark side

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).

Kealia-Anahola Coastal Walk

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
Andy and Leilani playing in the sand

Leilani, eating lunch
Leilani beim Mittagessen
Leilani, eating lunch

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

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