So, now I can tell the truth.

You really want to know how the working mommy thing goes down? Here it is:

I'm supposed to be here at 6:30 a.m. This morning was especially critical since I was asked to do a quick interview on CNN that would be aired live, just about an hour and fifteen minutes before we ourselves go to air (our first broadcast feed is at 9 a.m.).

Normally, I would never even think of stepping out of the building -- not even for a few minutes -- while we were preparing to go to air. I'd fight you over a fire alarm (but I WOULD go, I would, I swear). But through the miracle of technology (and guest scheduling) all of our guests for today's show were actually recorded yesterday or, in one case, a couple of days before (as he was on the way to London). So, we thought, yes, we can. ... Get to CNN and get back here in time to do right by our show.

Why even bother? Well, they wanted to talk to us about yesterday's special collaboration with the online publication The Root, where we talked about Michelle Obama and what it means to be, and have, the first African American First Lady. We had four great guests who published four essays on The Root, and we talked about the essays in our regular MOMS segment.

So we were excited that CNN wanted to talk to me and TMM regular Jolene Ivey about our contributions. Marie Nelson (our executive producer) and I decided it was worth it to twist ourselves into a pretzel a little bit before our own airtime to make the CNN appearance work.

I picked my outfit the night before. I got the last minute hair lecture from Marie ("put some product in there, don't play no games"). I was ready. I was pumped. I was walking out the door, and ...

Both kids came flying out of their rooms, "Waaahhh!"

"Mommy, can you sit with me?"

"Mommy, where's my drink?" "Mommy, my dolly fell behind he bed."

"Waah."

I tried to take the practical way out. "Mommy is going to be late," I said.

Still, "Waah!!!"

I tried to be a diplomat. "Daddy is still in bed," I said. "Go get in bed with him."

Waaah!

So, yes, I caved.

I took off my shoes and went in their room cuddled with them both for a few minutes. Thankfully, my husband heard something going on, so he came stumbling out, did a quick assessment of the situation, set up the distraction, took up the cuddle position ... and I slipped out.

(Thanks, Billy!)

I raced out the door, tried to obey all laws and came careening into NPR. I dropped my bag and looked at my TMM scripts before CNN started burning up my phone to ask, why wasn't I in the car?

I said, "what do you mean?" (I pretended I already was, sorry CNN!)

But then, in a minute, I was in the car, so ...

I made it.

And that's how it really is.

I know it's not pretty, but it all worked out, right?

categories: 'Behind the Curtain' at TMM

1:43 - November 19, 2008

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