Should I sacrific my plant for its babies??

You know I have to have a catchy title!!
Anyhow about 2 1/2 yrs ago I purchased a varigated agave plant and also a beautiful terra cotta pot (translate = expensive). Since this is not a plant for our winter weather I have to womanhandle this picky leaved plant into the house and try avoiding physical contact with it.
But I have baby agave's around the base of the plant. I would like to pot these up and have a few more for me and a couple christmas gifts. I cannot do this however without wrecking the mother plant. I know the mother plant is more valuable that when I bought it. (perhaps about $50)
Do should I save the babies only-due to the same of the pot there is no good way to save them all. Or does any one have experience with these plants.
The fall has been mild so I should have hopefully about 10 days in which to make up my mind!!

I have no idea about the dollar value, but if they are valuable to you, and would make wonderful Christmas gifts, it seems like that is a lovely idea. And then you can start over with a baby plant, or several in your pretty pot. Bye-bye big beautiful (but awkward to move) Momma plant!

Why do you have to wreck the mother plant? I think agave has rhisomes, underground roots that move away from the plant to produce baby plants. Cutting the rhisome and taking the baby should not hurt the mother plant, I don't think.