Juliet’s wide, toothless smile.  Juliana’s squeaking, screeching, and smacking.  Miles’ expressive brows and pouty lips.  A day dedicated to mothers means something more these days at FBP.

Several weeks into our 37th season, the company was graced with 3 adorably animated additions, and our 24 hearts were promptly stolen.  Although split 3 ways, it seems our affections are limitless, each of us scheduling tummy time, flying lessons and bouncy walks into our already packed days.  We are all now well-versed in the ambiguous language that is “baby talk”, and have taken to a guessing game called “What will you be?” wherein wildly polarized future professions are submitted based on Miles’ vespa-themed onesie, Juliet’s calm demeanor, or Juliana’s constant kicking.  We notice when Juliet is feeling especially giggly, when Miles has a cold, and when Juliana is uncharacteristically quiet.  We know what makes them smile, and will perform ridiculous acts of lunacy just to score the slightest smirk (can’t tell you how many times I’ve blown teeny bursts of air onto Juliana’s nose just to see her infamous O-shaped mouth and hear her infectious laugh).

Having a bad rehearsal?  Smell a baby!  Each morning is so brightened by their sunny eyes and squishy cheeks that one day without their presence in the studio darkens the mood, and 2 consecutive weeks baby-free since the end of the season has been borderline unbearable.  Spending so much time with these precious babes and watching them grow from newborns has been one of the greatest gifts this company has ever known.  So, to our rockstar ballerina mothers, Marissa, Ruth, and Leticia, I wish you the happiest of Mother’s Days (a bit belated), and thank you so much for sharing your beautiful children with us.  It’s a privilege to share in these early memories.

*photos from various sources.