RT @miscELENEous: The more I hear Elisabeth Hasselback make an argument, the more I wish she got left on the island. Brilliant
Loading Score while Jen Corday loads Soundtrack — should be ready soon!! — We had an abundance of talent with our brilliant artists – thx
@Traci truly gives the most eloquent interview… Traci love your way with words… and thanks for talking from the heart.
Hi All…thank you so very much for your patience. Between all the many things life throws at you, co-parenting 6 kids, dealing with Nicholas and his many adventures and finishing “Elena Undone” — I’m a little winded… However, ready to jump back into the world of blogging and the entire universe of social media and viral marketing as I try to connect all the dots between being a Preemie Parent and co-founder of PreemieWorld.com as well as being a writer/director of “Elena Undone” a feature about two soul mates who find themselves in the most unlikely of places (much as my partner in life and crime Marina and I had). Now I get that there are probably too many spokes in this wheel of mine, but I’m also pretty sure there’s a lot of overlap…gays and lesbians with kids, lovers of romance, those inspired by true love whether it’s about a 1 pound preemie or two soul-mates destined to find one another, damn the odds. Guess I’ll find out — sort of a marketing and social experiment at the same time if you will… more soon!
Happy Holidays…
Wow What a difference a year makes!
People said to me, as time passes all the horror of divorce will fade – Well I suppose given my failing memory – it was bound to happen! I’m happy to actually discover the cliché “life goes on” has deeper meaning than I previously gave it credit. But not only has life gone on… life is great.
This year has seen remarkable changes on all fronts. I am constantly amazed by yet another cliché’s truth: that children are remarkably resilient. Both Nicholas and Gabrielle have not only risen to the challenges put before them by their moms’ divorce, but have found a way to make themselves a better world, a place where they both find the peace and love they need from any number of family members, incredible nurses that care for Nicholas, awesome teachers and the warm and caring support for Gabrielle she has received from her Campbell Hall family during the difficult transition.
Nicholas has now realized that not only can he say words, but that they serve a purpose. He’s constantly initiating conversation remarking on ‘balu balu (blue balloons) or
“Let’s go, Okay!” and my particular favorite “no pinching, just kisses” followed by a smack from his lips. He’s constantly on the prowl for his favorite playmate, “Gata” (Gabrielle) and leads her by the hand off to a secret rendezvous intended only for their exclusive admiration society.
Or how we attempt to take our Christmas photo!
Gabrielle has grown yet taller, and uses her new gazelle like figure to dance, sing in oratory, tell tall tales, and still be the most entertaining and hysterical playmate I’ve ever had! We love to engage in “Star-ventures” – day long ventures into the world that must begin with a Starbucks stop, play cards (she’s merciless at Uno) and we are riveted by our favorite show: Dancing with the Stars.
And, as for me. I have found love. Not just love — to stick with the theme of clichés: when you least expect it swept off your feet love! Both clichés could never have been more true for both myself and my soul-mate, Marina. With Marina I have finally found someone utterly fun and unpredictable (and believe it or not more volatile than myself!) who relishes the insane chaos of children (the more the merrier!) and who shares my same ferocious Mama-Bear mentality. With her generous heart she lovingly nurtures little Nicholas and Gabrielle with the most gentle care. And my final cliché: she is as beautiful on the inside as she is gorgeous on the outside.
Marina and her three children, sweet-hearted Alexandra, precocious Lauren and endearing David have brought an enchanting version of “yours, mine and ours” into play – along with the effervescent Daisha, the 25 year old who Marina has taken in as her adopted daughter. “Darling” our new little puppy completes this happy – if hyper– family.
On the professional front I have joined forces with the founder of Preemie Magazine, Deb Discenza, and we are publishing a book next year for other preemie parents who we hope to help through the surreal journey of the NICU. We will also be launching PreemieWorld.com – a veritable universe of all things preemie as well as a fabulous storefront where we will make available the best of product the preemie universe has to offer. Finally, I hope to expand my speaking engagements with the film, “little man.”
Here is wishing you all a love and laughter filled Holiday!
As Ever,
CoCo, Gabrielle & Nicholas
So I’ve been procrastinating on launching this blog “thang” because I’m such a newbie and so-all-things-internet challenged that I decided as a birthday present to myself I would start this darn blog.
Then, being the intensely self-reflective Scorpio that I am, I started thinking about what birthdays really mean. What they use to mean when you were 8 and couldn’t sleep the night before because you were so damn excited, what they meant at 16, 18, 21 — all seminal – especially that 21 year old bash that lasted until you were 30! — And then of course the narcisstic self-identification with Jesus at 33!
When I turned 35 I realized I could no longer endlessly eat HagendaB without billowing over my Gap jeans. 39 was an awesome year — We discovered we were pregnant with Gabrielle and when I turned 40 — well, let’s just put it this way — I can’t remember turning 40. I guess between motherhood and 4 decades of hard livin’ it all starts to fade. Then birthdays sort of just become a nuisance. Don’t know about you but I tend to get sort of weepy and maudlin — not because I’m worried about aging — no I’m totally down with the fact that I look nothing like the chick I was in my mid thirties now at 49. Don’t even want to be that woman anymore. No, it’s more a nostalgia for all the possibilities we think of during the turning of the page: What could have been, what really happened…How it was supposed to be–Wow! How it is. How many goals I achieved, how much back-breaking work it took to achieve them, how much money I made, how much money I lost… and it’s easy for the wispy-eyed dreamer to feel the shadow of the cynic following her around.
What could have been with our second child when I turned 41 and how life changed the moment our premature son came 100 days too early, weighing only one pound. How I thought when you made a commitment in marriage it was forever, but almost to the day I turned 47 discovered my partner had checked out and last year, the very day I turned 48 lost a custody battle for our daughter in the most bitter lesbian “War of the Roses” divorce known to all mankind.
But 49! Now that’s a birthday I can wrap my mind around. First of all my Amazing Love called me first thing this morning and in her purry cat voice wished me a lovely birthday. A word about Amazing Love: She is as sweet as Abba Zabba candy, as sensual (and sassy!) as Laura Croft (and as mysterious too!), she’s an extraordinary mom, who, like myself, adores doting upon her children (we just purchased a sofa and our number one criteria was getting the plushest most snuggly couch that could fit our ever-growing brood during family movie night). Amazing Love’s real name is Marina. She’s never been with a woman and I can honestly say I don’t believe she’s even a lesbian– which makes her, uhum extraordinary talents quite an enigma…hmmm! But it’s not just because she has finally made me understand what the state of intimacy actually means — as terrifying and as exquisite as it has all become!…It’s because she actively engages in the act of cherishing me as if it was the most natural thing in the world — and makes me somehow beleive that I actually deserve being cherished. Because she caresses my heart every time her tender eyes touch mine and I know how well she knows me, how she gets me, gets the joke and I have never had so much fun, or giggled as much as when I am with her. How much better does it get than that?
I have it soooo good. And I realized this as my 49th birthday wore on. After taking my disabled son to two doctor’s appointments I glanced back at my little Nicholas who no one ever thought would utter a word and he was rambling off the colors of the rainbow…like all the rainbow colors of his love that fills my heart daily. Then I dashed home and my Amazing Love surprised me and we made love like 20 year olds all afternoon until I had to pick up my precociously gorgeous daughter, Gabrielle.
I’m happy to be 49. Seriously. I treadmill 5 miles a day, and to reward myself I now eat HagendaB low-fat yogurt. In my book that’s coming to terms with my age. The bags under the eyes? Not so much coming to terms with those — but I have a secret goal to save all my extra pennies for a little face work when I turn 50. Not because i cannot accept aging, but because I intend to do so gracefully. But the other great thing about turning 49 is that I now know what truly makes me happy, I get to completely indulge in my favorite pasttime which is enjoying my two kids and now Marina’s three; precociously entertaining Gabrielle at 8 now and my “little man” Nicholas who is 6 1/2. I have been one of the rare few who have discovered the soul-mate love-of-my-life at an age I can appreciate every sensational little thing about her. And the icing on the cake is that I get to be inside whip-your-socks-off eternal-blazing-flames-of-passion True. Love. in my second half of life.
And so now instead of looking at the century half gone, I get to look at filling up my next fifty years with the best that life has to offer.
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