I forgot to mention something else about my get together with Lori this week: it was weird to see her not driving her babymobile. Lori’s never been a mini-van girl (I would throw up if she ever bought one!) but I do associate her new car (a Honda CR-V) with her being a mom. Lori used to drive a Passat wagon, and while that may feel like a mommy car to some, it never had that vibe when in Lori’s hands. First of all, she had it for years before Matteo was born. Secondly, I have a lot of fond memories of us in that car (as well as fond memories of her, Nicole, and me in that car). And finally, that wagon was filled with so much of Lori (her card stuff, water bottles, Coke cans, her music, her attitude…heck, it even smelled like Lori), that there was no way anyone or anything was going to change that image for me. So when she got rid of it after Matteo was born and got the CR-V, I saw that as a transition from “Lori’s car” to the “babymobile,” albeit a cooler babymobile than most. Of all the changes in Lori’s life that came with becoming a mom, I’m most comfortable with the fact that she now drives a CR-V. So when she drove up in Sal’s car the other day, a Honda Accord, it sort of struck me as out of place. This may seem strange, but for me, Lori’s identity is tied as much to her car as it is to her being my former-CFF-turned-FWK. The sedan does not fit the image I have of her. The babymobile does. Maybe I am getting used to Lori-as-mom. Or just surrendering to it.