Proof that she crawls!

Maryam crawled into her Daddy's USC end table today. She watched her cousin do this exact same thing a few weeks ago, I guess she learned a few things by watching!

I see that her had is on the Hunting Magazine in this photo, but I REALLY hope that she's trying to get to People or In Touch.

Maryam had a good day today. She wasn't a very good napper, consequently its 8:30 and she's already in bed. The bad thing about that is, I think this means she's going to wake up in the middle of the night again. I hope not though, 2 nights is bad enough, but 3 would be way too tiring! We're so lucky! Maryam has been a GREAT sleeper since coming home from the hospital. Usually the only time she's awake at night is when she's not feeling well and from what I understand, that's totally normal for babies.
We have some news on the feeding clinic we're trying to get Maryam into. Dr. Patel called me back today and told me everything I need to know to help get Kaiser in So. Cal to cover her clinic! And with great timing too! Maryam is scheduled to see her GI doc and Speech Therapist again on Thursday. I'll take those opportunities to give them all the info on the clinic and have them start working on getting Kaiser to cover it! They both told me that they'd do whatever it takes to help, so now I'm going to call in their offers. Wish us luck.
The one crazy part about the clinic is that there is approximately a one year waiting list. I feel so ignorant. Until I had Maryam I had no idea that these sorts of feeding problems existed and now, even after exposure to other micro preemies that have similar issues, I still had no idea that there were so many children out there with these problems that a clinic could have a one year waiting list. The even crazier part is that with all these children with feeding problems, or oral aversions or oral dysfunction there is hardly any help for them. I've done some research and this clinic in No. Cal is the only intensive feeding clinic in all of CA that I've been able to find. I've found others in different states, but again only a few. There simply isn't enough help for children like Maryam. This clinic we found in No. Cal is going to cost upwards of $10,000, but how can we not do it? Eating is a necessity of life, like breathing. We give her oxygen so she can breath easier, but that's not the solution. Its a temporary fix until her resperatory system matures enough for her to be able to breath without the extra O2. We've given her a feeding tube so that she doesn't starve, but the tube isn't a solution. Its a temporary fix until she learns to eat.
I just pray that the insurance company sees it the same way I do.