Atlanta R&B singer Monica arrives at the Turner Studios to shoot a promotional device the industry calls an MPK.

It is the K-I-D-S, however, that have the 27-year-old's ongoing attention.

ALEXANDER ACOSTA / aacosta@ajc.com (ENLARGE)
Atlanta's Grammy-winning R&B singer Monica spells out the letters on her bracelet to her oldest son Rodney Hill III during a break in the filming of ads for her upcoming Peachtree TV reality special, 'Monica: The Single'. The one-hour show reveals the recording artist's life as a mate and mother.
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Her 3-year-old Rodney III is slumped over her right shoulder, sound asleep. So is six-month-old Romelo, in a carriage the remarkably slight Grammy winner is pushing with her free arm.

"Did I see some oatmeal over there?" she asks one of the attentive Turner execs, motioning toward the craft services table. "I am going to have to get Little Rodney some food when he wakes up."

Ladies and gentleman, meet Monica the Mom.

The millions of people who've bought her four CDs may be surprised to discover this soft-spoken, doting parent on "The Single: Monica"; a one-off, hour-long reality show airing at 10 p.m. Tuesday on Peachtree TV.

Monica the Recording Artist, you see, "is in two words, no joke," V-103's Frank Ski says.

She made her professional bow with a CD titled "Miss Thang," telling the world: "I just wanna be all alone. If you think I treat you wrong, don't take it personal."

The song that earned her a Grammy is probably one of the prettiest catfights you've ever heard — "The Boy Is Mine," with Brandy. And while she convinces as a Disney-ready balladeer ("For You I Will," "Angel of Mine"), you still believe her when she says she'll "kick down your door and smack your chick," on her hit single, "So Gone."

"The Single: Monica" is basically a snapshot of her life, over three weeks, as she prepares to come back with a new single and CD (titled "Still Standing").

"And I think what people will like the most about it, is you can tell nothing was censored or uncut," Monica says in her dressing room, as a woman she refers to as Fire Starter is curling and styling her hair. "I mean, I'm walking around the house in a scarf because we'd been cooking and cleaning and getting the kids ready all day — and that's how folk really look.

"That's the most special part to me, the parts with my kids," she continues. "I've grown up quite a bit. I've learned to talk it out and work it out ... The part that's weird for me though, is seeing the emotional side of me, and maybe the way that Rodney [Hill] and I interact with each other. It's different with the cameras being there, and seeing that on television.

"We've always been private about certain things," Monica says of her love of eight years, and now fiance, known as Rocko to hip-hop fans. "But after two children, there's really no need for that. We pretty much live in front of the cameras now."

Little Rodney is finally awake, but as quiet as when he's napping. Romelo is up and just as calm, which is especially remarkable considering every other person is picking him up, blowing raspberries on his stomach and marveling at his eyes.

In addition to the Moving Picture Keys — basically those things that pop up in the corner of a TV screen, in the middle of a show, to promote another — Monica is also taping wrap-around segments with Ski for the Tyler Perry movie "Diary of A Mad Black Woman". (How 1995, "Miss Thang" Monica).

As she makes her way to yet another studio on Turner's sprawling campus to join Ski, someone finally takes Rodney III to the cafeteria.

"Mommy look, I have Cheetos!" he announces when he returns.

"Yes I see, baby," Monica replies with as much excitement, if not volume. "And look — I've got you some SpongeBob crackers. But do you think you could eat half of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich first?"

Rodney III looks up at her as if she's asked him to solve a trigonometry problem, without paper.

K-I-D-S.

The 411: "The Single: Monica". 10 p.m. Tuesday night on Peachtree TV.