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Observations of An Ex-Cop in La La Land |
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MOM'S DAY for ANN  Mama Ann with newborn Andrew |
Meet a 'celeb mom' who
rose to the challenge
By ANDY MURCIA
of TheColumnists.com
Back on February 3, 1992, the unique pleasure of watching my son, Andrew Joseph, being born into this world was a thrill of a lifetime for me. My generation of “Dads” didn’t do such things. We usually waited in the gin mill across the street from the hospital, and when the phone call came, passed out the cigars. But times have changed, and for the better I think.
My wife, Ann Jillian, was
42 when she gave birth to our son, Andrew, and I was 52. Ann
wanted me to go into the birthing room with her, I didn’t
want to, but I did go in and watch as she had a C-section. I
almost fainted! Yes, this veteran Chicago copper who has seen
more knife cuttings and blood than most surgeons, got the cold
sweats.
Seeing the doctor cut through all those layers of skin, then
watching him pull a baby out was almost more than I could handle.
The room started to move on me. Then they handed me scissors
to cut the cord. As I did so, my knees buckled.
My just born kid peed on the doctor--almost got him in the kisser,
but he moved fast and took it on the shoulder. (Served him right
for padding our bill.) Seeing what Ann went through also gave
me even more respect for mothers and I swore then and there,
that our son must always respect his Mom, too.
And, boy, does he ever! Andrew is just as protective of Ann as
I am--maybe more so, if that’s possible--and it’s a
loving thing to witness.
I was thinking about a
lot of things when Ann told me she was going to have a baby,
not the least of which was, “Ann Jillian, a Mother?”
I was nervous about that thought.
You see, Ann didn’t know where the kitchen was in our house,
nor did she ever baby sit as a young girl. She was too busy making
movies and TV shows since she was 10. She didn’t know jack
about taking care of a baby. Even the baby knew this was a wild
premise. When the Doctor put our tiny son on Ann’s chest
for the first Mom and Son, “look-see,” I swore the
infant was saying to himself, “God gave me to you? What
is this--a joke? You're Ann Jillian, the actress--a glamour puss.
You’re not a real Mom!” Who could blame the kid for
thinking like that?
Why God would give us a baby after we have been married for 15 years, was beyond me? I mean, we were both Roman Catholics. We did everything right, but I really thought having a baby was just not to be for us. I also figured God knew exactly what he was doing. I mean, Ann had hair appointments, nail appointments, photo shoots, 12 hour-plus filming days and traveling around the world singing and dancing! And I was starting to think about my retirement, so I silently screamed, “WHO WOULD RAISE THIS BABY!”
Ann was in the movie “Mr. Mom” and I thought, “So this is how my golden years would be!” I kept picturing myself in an apron with a baby puking on my shoulder while Ann was making a movie in Rome! But the reality of all this is, the worst arguments Ann and I have ever had are over two things, both having to do with son Andrew. The first is, “Why do you hog him all the time? I want him today!” and the second is: “He does, too, love me--just a bit more than you!" followed by, "No, he loves me more!” Neither of us can get enough of this little guy.
So, I put my apron away
fast. I knew I had the right Mom for this Baby!
All my fears disappeared as soon as I showed Ann how to change
a diaper. Man, she was off and running. Talk about a “hands
on Mama.” Ann is the best Catholic version of a loving Jewish
Mother that I’ve ever seen! I sometimes think she and our
son are joined at the brain! They love the same things, are inseparable.
They are in love like I’ve never seen love before. It’s
a rare day when I can get Andrew all to myself!
Soon after baby came, Ann gave me the order to stop booking her. First she didn’t want to do but one movie, one month a year–then it was a part in a movie for two weeks a year – and now it’s only “one nighters” performing her lecture or singing shows. Her Agent Jeff Witjas started losing money, he stopped taking me to Lakers Games, courtside seats. I knew Ann was seriously in love with this Baby, so I took up bike riding with all my free time. Ann and Andrew love movies, they see them all, they bake cookies and we eat them, and we all got fat. Next to God, our life is now centered on our son’s religious, educational, and social schedule.
Ann will tell you she was “born to be a Mama.” The other stuff she was doing since she was 10, like acting, was only killing time until Andrew Boy came into her life. Ann beat breast cancer in 1985 and in 1992 gave birth to Andrew. Talk about a tough Doll!
On this Mother’s Day, of course, my thoughts always turn to my own Mama Rosie Donovan Murcia, who's in Heaven now. But there is one named Ann who keeps the beat going and I know our Andrew Boy and I wish a Happy Mothers Day to Ann.
Ann told me when we first met many years ago in Chicago, “I can do it all!” Well, I’m a believer! This “Mama Ann” does do it all–I’ve seen her take her turn doing everything and anything just to be near our son--from being “gate Mom” at his school to running the “Dart booth” at the School's Spring Festival.
I often tell our Andrew
Boy, “You are the luckiest kid in the world to have the
Mom you have.” I also tell him he had better pick a great
“nursing home” for me when I get feeble, being as "I
picked the world’s best Mom for you.”
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Andy Joseph as he is today. |
I’ve seen Ann collect Three EMMY Nominations, win a Golden Globe Award, and numerous other accolades, but none of that has made me as proud of her, as when I see the “greatest love of all” heaped upon our son from her abundant heart. May God bless Ann on this her 12th Mother’s Day. Like the great song says, “I love you until the Twelfth of Never,” as that’s how long a Mother’s love lasts.
No one will love us like our dear Mothers. Like our old friend, comic Don Rickles always told us, “When the whole world boo-ed me, my Mom was there to cheer me on”. So on this Mother’s Day, I wish my Ann and all the dear Mothers a very happy day indeed. Have a great time, you all deserve it! Thanks for cheering us all on. And to those Mothers who recently lost a child in the war, you all are wished a most special Mother’s Day along with a country’s gratefulness--with our love and appreciation on this Mother’s Day.
©2003 by Andy Murcia. The caricature of Andy Murcia is ©2003
by Jim Hummel. The photos are from the Murcia family archives.
All rights reserved.
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