MOM GETS BREAK FROM BAGHDAD SERGEANT BALANCES MOTHERHOOD, MARRIAGE WITH HER MILITARY DUTIES.

Byline: Patricia Farrell Aidem Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - For 15 glorious days, Sylvia Blackwood-Boutelle answered to ``Mommy'' and wore fuchsia polish on her toenails.

On Monday, as her leave drew toward an end, she sipped iced tea at Starbucks in Stevenson Ranch and talked about her other life, in which she's called ``Sergeant'' and sees color in the varying shades of sand on the Iraqi landscape.

Today, Blackwood-Boutelle says goodbye to her husband, Kenneth Boutelle, and their 3-year-old, Holden, and heads back to the war in Iraq where she is a broadcast correspondent for the Armed Forces Radio Television Service.

``I feel fortunate to be a part of everything ... and not,'' she said. ``I miss my son and it breaks my heart that he cries himself to sleep when I'm gone, but I want my son to be proud of me.''

Blackwood-Boutelle, 38, is stationed in Baghdad, a city of rubble and rebirth, life and death, small miracles and unearthed horrors.

It's her job to tell the stories of this war. She writes of scared young men who barely shave yet do not waver as they face a war marked by surprise attacks.

``You talk to them - they're so mature,'' she said. ``They know what they're doing is important.''

And she pieces together feature stories that range from the delights of a local talent show she dubbed ``Iraqi Idol'' to the stunning reality of pre-war execution orders that fill several rooms and hold precious information of the fates of some 1.3 million missing Iraqis.

``That story took two days to edit,'' she said. ``I was crying so hard.''

She's seen images so awful that in the confines of this suburban coffee house of lattes and Frappaccinos she shudders and squelches the occasional tear. She often wonders whether the faces she recognizes on the streets of Baghdad will fall among those of the dead.

``My mission is to tell the world the stories of Iraq, to tell the military's story,'' she said Monday in an interview. ``These are the people who bag your groceries or work at Starbucks. They're cops and firefighters, they fix your car. They're our sons and daughters. They're Americans.''

An Army reservist and new mother, Blackwood-Boutelle jumped at the chance to serve after America was attacked in 2001. Her two lives collided last November when she was sent for a year to the Middle East.

These days, she plays mommy by phone, singing ``Itsy Bitsy Spider'' with Holden. She's waited hours in line for her turn at a 15-minute call home to Canyon Country. When the news at home carries alerts of escalating violence, e-mails and quick calls let Kenneth know she is OK.

And her husband takes pride in his Jewish wife's experiences, reminding her to tell the story of the Seder held in Saddam Hussein's presidential palace. About 50 servicemen and servicewomen and a few of Baghdad's handful of remaining Jews attended the Passover celebration each of its seven nights.

When Blackwood-Boutelle arrived at Burbank Airport 15 short days ago, she was met by the sweet little-boy shouts of ``Mommy, I love you. Mommy, I missed you.'' And she hugged her son for what seemed like hours.

The days went by quickly as the family caught up. She had a manicure and pedicure, and was thrilled to open a refrigerator and find a choice of food inside. The proud mother took hundreds of pictures at Holden's swimming lessons and waited eagerly for him after preschool. The couple decided to keep the youngster's routine intact while she was home to make the transition easier when it came time to leave.

``It's hard for him, for me, but we do OK,'' said Boutelle, quiet except for occasional prompts to his wife of stories he's heard and wants her to share.

At Starbucks, Blackwood-Boutelle made conversation with the father of a 22-year-old UCLA student who has enlisted. He spoke of the Vietnam era, when American soldiers returned home only to be met with disdain. Her hope is that America learned a lesson and will stand by the men and women who have witnessed the devastation of the toppled Iraqi regime.

``This country is going to have to have a wide set of arms to welcome these people coming back. We're different now.''

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Photo:

(color) Army reservist Sylvia Blackwood-Boutelle plays with her 3-year-old son, Holden, while home on leave from Iraq.

David Crane/Staff Photographer