Mothers of MM: Superwomen in Our Midst

May 06, 2016

We have an incredible team here at MM.LaFleur. This Mother’s Day, we honor the moms in our midst—and the small, impressive humans they’ve produced.

Dance party! Annie in her namesake dress with Eliza (upside-down) and Georgia (in tutu).

Annie Thorp, Chief Marketing Officer

What has surprised you about motherhood?
There’s this misconception that being a mom makes you soft, and for me, it made me tougher, sometimes to the point of being abrupt. I just don’t have time for bullshit anymore. I used to tolerate it, and now I’m just like, “Nope, on to the next.” Now I’m just much more ruthless about how I spend my time, in every area of my life. Also, before I had kids, I was much more precious about where I had creative time. Like, “I couldn’t possibly think here—it’s too loud.” Now, the best place for me to think is the 6 train, which is not a quiet place by any means. But you find pockets of creativity where you didn’t before.

A slightly quieter moment with Eliza, Annie, and Georgia.

Eliza, age 3, and Georgia, age 1 (Annie’s daughters)

What’s something you’ve learned from your mom?
Eliza: How to be a ballerina. She went to a ballet school. [Editor’s note: Not true. Annie has never been to ballet school.] She teaches me how to play, and learn numbers.

What do you know about your mom’s job?
Eliza: She has dresses at her work.

[Note: Georgia can only say a few words: “no,” “I did it!” and “mama” being her specialties.]

Nikita and Giovanna in their Brooklyn neighborhood.

Giovanna Badilla, Art Director

Did you always know you wanted to have children?
No, being a mom was never on my to-do list. I was pretty wild most of my youth, and very independent. I used to point to our cats and tell my husband, “That’s as close as we’re ever going to get to kids.” And then, towards my mid-to-late thirties, something changed. My friends who see me today are like, “Wow, you are so different.” I used to want to go out all the time, and I don’t anymore. And the funny thing is, I’m super happy. Having a kid calms and settles you. It gives you roots.

Giovanna (in the her namesake dress and Sant Ambroeus jardigan) with Nikita (in very cool cat shoes).

Nikita, age 5 (Giovanna’s daughter)

What does your mom do for work?
Nothing. [Editor’s note: Actually, she does quite a lot. Her co-workers can attest to that.]

What is something you learned from your mom?
How to be nice and kind.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A doctor. I want to fix people.

Silvia with Max and Lara.

Silvia Hillman, Production Manager

What’s something you’ve learned from your kids?
When you’re busy with motherhood and your job, you’re rushing nonstop, and often not engaging in your surroundings. Kids don’t have that same tunnel vision. A walk home that would take you 15 minutes might take them an hour. And sometimes I make a point of following their lead—if it takes an hour instead of 15 minutes, then that’s okay. Let them pick up a stick and look at a rock and point out a beautiful building. I think I’ve always rushed, even before I had kids. But they’ve taught me to enjoy our time, and I see the city in a new way with them.