reflections

day 365:


i can't believe it has been an entire year.


when i started this project i had no idea what it would turn into.


first of all, i thought it was going to be easy... it was not.


sometimes there wasn't anything to take pictures of. sometimes i was tired and didn't feel like blogging. sometimes i didn't have time to sit and come up with anything witty or amusing to write. sometimes i wondered about what i had gotten myself into.


but i'm glad i stuck it out... because sometimes in those moments when i had to get creative, my favorite blogs were born.


and interestingly enough, i thought that this would just be a blog of pictures, but it was so much more than that. it was a journal. a window into the life of mindy balut. a memento of who i am.


and who am i? 


i am a wife. a sister. a daughter. a shoe lover, dog lover, food lover. a business card collector.


i am sensitive. lovable. funny. caring. hopeful. dedicated. creative. 


i am a teacher. a student. a friend. a confidante. 


i am a mother.


i am a writer. a dreamer. a wisher. 


i am a photographer.

milestones

day 364:


i have a really advanced child.


i'm sure that's what every parent says. everyone's kid is a genius to them.


but seriously, maeve is doing things i don't think she should be doing just yet.


she has been standing with help and holding her on weight since she was about a month old.


she has been getting better and better holding her head and chest up while on her tummy.


and on sunday she rolled over.


it may have been a partial accident, but she rolled nonetheless.



i'm telling you, maeve is a child prodigy.  

never forget

day 363:


10 years ago there was a terrorist attack on the united states.


right after it happened everyone was saying that we would all never forget where we were when it happened.


and it's true. 10 years later and i still remember like it was yesterday.


everyone has a story. some have stories that are heart wrenching.


a few years later, i read the first chapter of the book let's roll, by lisa beamer, and cried my eyes out. i couldn't read the rest. there are too many people with stories like that.


to those that lost someone they loved... my heart hurts for you.


to those that helped in the aftermath - police, fire, military, etc. - i am thankful for your selflessness.


to those still fighting to keep our country safe... you are our heroes. 

little wedding guest

day 362:


i love weddings.


our dear friend april got married today.


the best part was, it was a backyard wedding and babies were welcome.


maeve loves a good party.

and although she slept most of the time, she did spend a while sitting with her dad, just taking everything in.

can't get comfortable

day 361:


today was pretty nice out so i didn't turn the air on.


but i guess it got a little hot because griffey couldn't find a cool spot to sleep.


first she was on the kitchen floor. but i think the blue stone hearth was a cooler second choice.


of course the once i turned the air on and it cooled down, griffey had to find the one spot where there was sun.



she's too much.

strawberry shortcake

day 360:


maeve and i had breakfast with my friend and her son.


my friend gave maeve the cutest little hat. which, by the way, she made herself.


homemade presents are so awesome.


so of course i had to put maeve in it for a photo shoot.

turkey day

day 359:


the last few days have felt like fall.

i have even worn long sleeves, jeans and my favorite slippers.


i love fall.


and if it didn't feel like thanksgiving was around the corner before, the turkeys i saw today did the trick.

smile

day 358:


no lie, i try to take a picture of maeve smiling every single day.


but it seems like every time i pull out my camera, whether it's my real camera or my cell phone, maeve stops smiling.

i swear, it's like she knows!


either that or she is really only smiling at me, and when i hold up the camera and look into it i'm not looking at her... so she quits smiling.


either way, today i was determined... and this is the best i could get.



i swear. she really does smile :)

photo op

day 357:


i absolutely love my camera (obviously)


but the bad part about it is it's really heavy. 


people use their cameras to get shots of themselves all the time. 


they hold the camera at arms length and click away.


unfortunately i can't do that with mine.


it's so awkward. it's really too bulky to hold in one hand, and even if i do get it situated in one hand, at arms length, the button is on the right side, which means that if i'm holding it in my right hand and facing it at me, the button is on the left. which means my finger can't exactly reach to push the button.


so if i switch and hold it in my left hand, i can't hold the weight of the camera because it's heavy on the right side.


it probably doesn't make sense to you, but if you have a camera like this you would know what i mean.


aaaannnywaaays... i was trying to take a picture of maeve and myself.


this is what i got.



it makes me laugh to see them though.

little baby toes

day 356:

what is it about little baby toes that are so adorable!


personally, i think that feet are detestable. 


but baby feet...


baby feet are perfect.

happy 80

day 355:


my grandpa turned 80!


we wanted to celebrate. and the best way to do that is with food and family.


and a pool always helps.


maeve fell asleep at one point and uncle matt put toys all over her. he said that's what happens when you pass out at a party.


maeve also got in the pool for the first time.


she loved it! well, not at first. she kinda cried a little, but i think she was just being dramatic cause after a little while she was enjoying it.


i tried to take a lot of pictures while i was there. i only have 10 days left of the blog, and i thought it would be nice to get a few more people on here.


usually people hide from my camera, but there was so much going on, i don't think they noticed i was taking pictures.

all in all it was a great party.


happy 80th grandpa. i love you to pieces!! 

sharkie

day 354:

i know you all want to see pictures of maeve, but she's not the only cutie pie over here.


griffey got a new toy from rusty and di. it's a shark with a rope on either end for tug of war purposes.


she loves it.


tonight i caught her snuggling with it.


i'm sure it's only a matter of time before she tears it apart, but for tonight, she loves it.

back to work

day 353:


for those of you that don't know, or didn't pick up on the comment in the last blog, i extended my maternity leave for another 6 weeks.


i am totally thrilled about staying home with maeve for these extra weeks.


but at the same time, it is a little strange not going back to work.


for the last six years i started every fall by getting ready for my students and now, this year began without me.


i didn't meet the new faculty. i didn't set up my room. i didn't pass out a syllabus. i didn't explain the lunch schedule 25 times. i didn't pass out books day one and get dirty looks from students that thought this year was going to be easy. i didn't do any of it.


and yet, on tim's first day back to work, he came home with flowers for me.