As a kind reader helpfully reminded me in the comments of my newest post, I forgot to mention that I have an essay in today’s PARADE Magazine, which may well be slipped between the folds of your newspaper right at this very moment.
Quick, run and check! It looks like this:
I am this week’s “Views” offering, a feature which LAST week was penned by David Gergen, so I admit to feeling a teensy bit intimidated.
I will post a link to the online version as soon as it is available on Monday. They do have a Simone Slideshow up on their website already—back when I was looking for pictures to send for said sideshow, I found the video I made for Simone’s first birthday, which contains (brief! so brief!) footage of her being deposited on to my chest the day I finally held her for the first time (WEEPITY WEEPITY WEEP), and THAT led me to the video I made to celebrate the very event that ends the PARADE essay, Simone’s release from the tyranny of supplemental oxygen.
It’s hard to sob and giggle and cry and snort all with a headcold, I’m telling you.
*UPDATE!*
The piece is up online!
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow! What an exciting weekend for you! Congratulations! And having just finished your book, it’s interesting to see all of the pictures all at once that I had made images of in my head. Feel better so you can enjoy this great moment! You deserve it!
Yay! Can’t wait to read via your link tomorrow! (And finally, January did you one decent.)
Can’t wait to read it tomorrow. The slideshow is beautiful – and totally made me cry!
Read your article in Parade and was immediately taken with your story. Downloaded Half Baked onto my Kindle and read the whole thing this afternoon. LOVED IT! The NICU experience is so surreal that it is hard for anyone outside the “club” to even fathom the process. Your description of the ebb and flow of the preemie’s journey to discharge was so spot on. Loved the photos of your beautiful daughter and Mom. So glad to hear she is well and thriving. Again, the book is wonderful.
Congratulations! I opened the St. Paul paper this morning and felt like I saw someone I knew in the Parade section. Keep up all the good writing and posting!
Excellent article. Everyone post to FB and remind people to go buy the book.
Parade Magazine is our default bathroom literature. I nearly fell off the toilet when I turned the page and saw you, Grandma, and Simone smiling at me from the pages. Terrific article. Congrats!
Congratulations on the article. I read it aloud to my husband, and your words achieved something few things on this earth do. He choked up. His eyes were down-right watery, chin trembling, and words few. (Perhaps this has something to do with the fact we’re expecting our first child.)
Also, I read your book over the holidays, and I enjoyed every single bit of it.
Just found it in my paper….. loved it, and the slideshow was such a trip down memory lane. I cannot believe how big Simone is getting!
This essay brought tears to my eyes. You are SO awesome.
The piece is beautiful! Going to Tweet it right now!
WOW! I just opened the paper and THERE YOU WERE!!! I was a bit shocked, to say the least! How wonderful. I cried all over again. I cried because I “know you” from your writing, and I’ve spent years watching this story unfold. You are so very lucky to have the support of a wonderful and loving Mom.
I love the essay and am proud beyond words. (again)
saw it last night in the breakroom at work. I read through it, excitedly pointed it out to my coworkers and exclaimed to them all that they needed to read Half Baked.
They think I am slowly descending into madness.
Of course starting out the night doing twenty jumping jacks in memory of Jack LaLanne didn’t help my defense.
But the coworkers who read the article did enjoy it.
Congratulations!
I just read it! Beautiful piece and slideshow! :)
Read the article in Parade, saved the article so I can buy the book (tomorrow!). Read an excerpt online and loved it. . .I had so many of the same experiences. My 32-week, 3 pounder is now 16 and taller than me!
And now I’ve found your blog! Cool!
your writing is truly beautiful. very few people have a gift for the english language such as yours. thank you for sharing your literature and your family with us.
I read your blog all the time, but rarely do I comment. I just have to say that I truly admire your writing. I really enjoyed your Parade piece. Congratulations on being published! (Again!)
it’s so funny… but in some ways feeling a little like, hmm… sharing the precious photos of our fightin’ girl with all these people. i feel like i’m looking at my family album (oh i remember that — oh simone at preschool! oh that hold in the nicu! look mom, no tubes!) but really, i’m delighted… your writing is as crisp, clever, and as engaging as always. love it. love you and your family which is weird given that i don’t know you but still… you know what i mean. proud all over again. hope many more will read your fabulous parade article filled with your biting wit and run to purchase your brilliant book, too. yea. this just made my week. delightful. and i thought i’d explode when i heard you on NPR but i know this exposure is even moreso… i’ll shutup now.
That was an incredibly moving, and incredibly well-written piece. Wow! I am still reeling from the power of it. One of the best short essays I’ve ever read. Thank you!
That was just so beautiful — article, photos, everything!
A friend @ Mercy-I.C. gave me your book as a gift. I read it, and loved it! (I have a grandson born @ 32 weeks, and had just visited him many times in the N.I.C.U.) I just read your article in the Parade Sunday paper, and followed the link to your website. I enjoyed viewing Simone’s slide show.
Long time reader – but do I ever comment? I have no idea whether I ever have, actually. But Sunday I also opened the paper and was so excited to see your piece there. II know her, I told my husband. Thank-you for sharing and writing so beautifully!
It is unfair to make me cry like that. What a lovely article. While I have a more strained relationship with my Mother, I hope the one I am forming with my son is a as wonderful as the one you have with your Mom.
GOD, Alexa. You are so incredible… I’ve read your blog since Simone was born, and I’ve read your book, and now this article, and every which way you tell the story moves me to tears.
I am in tears. Your article was Beautiful and succinct. I just wish there wasn’t a computer and an ocean between us, because I’d give you a big hug.
Congratulations for making it into Parade! That’s a true accomplishment–I love that magazine. :-)
Awww, you did good! This is a great article. How can it be that Simone is almost THREE!?
Great article! Thanks so much for sharing the link (I don’t get the paper these days).
I was looking through the Parade Sunday and saw the article. I looked up and said to my husband….hey I read her blog.
Congratulations, Alexa. I’m awed. And crying, yet again. Thanks for the link! Thanks to Nani, too!
Alexa-
Your families story is just beautiful! I had tears in my eyes picturing the loss of one baby, and then thinking of how hard it must have been to stand almost helpless with your daughter. You are a very strong woman, and I admire you.
I don’t know if you would remember me. We had weight lifting in high school together! Mr…hmm…Soterbeer??
Beautiful, so delighted to have found your site! Thank you.