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Unnoticed by the lunch crowd in tinted sunglasses and a sleeveless geometric print dress, Spears is alternately confident when she speaks about her imminent return to the recording studio and exasperated when conversation turns to the subject of the paparazzi. This is clearly a more resolute, more guarded Britney than the one who once only had to look out for herself. "I'm going to [get back to work], but I'm going to do it with definite balance for my baby," she says, "because I want him to have the best of both worlds."
For a star who has led more of her life in the spotlight than out, the challenge now is bridging the dueling worlds of motherhood ("Mary had a little lamb/ Its fleece was white as snow") and pop superstardom ("And everywhere that Britney went/ Paparazzi were sure to go"). The singer's parental judgment came under serious fire Feb. 6 when she drove with Sean Preston on her lap – drawing sharp criticism on behalf of everyone from the Mommy and Me set to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, who called her actions "irresponsible."
Last week Spears explained that she was just acting instinctively while trying to evade aggressive paparazzi; now she addresses the incident with caution. "I love my baby more than anything," she says, "and as unfortunate an experience as this has been for me and my family, if it brings more attention to child safety then I fully support that."
