Nick and Terra

Nolan's First Haircut

2011-11-30T20:08:00.001-07:00

Today Nolan got his first haircut. His hair was getting near the point of "how old is your little girl?" Though it was cute how his hair curls as it gets longer. A lot like his Uncle Andrew's hair when he was a kid. Nolan of course cried through most of it. He was somewhat soothed by his crackers and the other worker at Cool Cuts 4 Kids blowing bubbles. They also put on Elmo as an attempt to distract him from the strange lady snipping a way at his hair. For your enjoyment here are his before and after pictures and a video of it all.

Before

After

Nolan's First Halloween

2011-11-02T23:46:00.001-07:00

Nolan, Nick and Terra

Nolan at the pumpkin patch

Halloween has come and gone. What was special about this one is that it was Nolan's first Halloween. Sunday morning we took Nolan down to the nearby farm to get a pumpkin. While there we also let him see some of the animals and ride the "train". Of course we could not resist putting our little pumpkin in among the pumpkins for a photo-op. It was adorable indeed.

Terra in her witch's hat and Nolan as a Pumpkin

On Halloween we had our annual gathering of family and friends. I (Nick) cooked up the Three Bean Turkey Chili I make each year. As usual it was a hit. Nolan was dressed up as a Jack-O-Lantern. While I went as Dwight Schrute from the Office. I was able to find the perfect Schrute-ish shirt at Goodwill. We took Nolan down a few streets on his first Trick or Treat. It was unfortunately cut short as he was getting cranky and tired. All in all it was a good time.

Halloween Dilema

2011-10-05T21:57:00.000-07:00

We have ourselves a little problem. Nolan's first Halloween is coming up and we cannot think of what costumes to get. I (Nick) would like to have a theme with the three of us. Of course with Nolan being a boy we have thought of Barney, Pebbles and Bam Bam. I have thought of a scarecrow family. One of the issues we have been having is that baby costumes look so hot. I know parts of the country are cold around Halloween but it is probably going to be in the 80s or even 90s here in Mesa. Nolan is probably not going to need a thick costume. I'm sure we will think of something perusing the Internet for ideas.

7 Months!!

2011-08-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

Today our little Nolie-Face is 7 months!! He has grown into the following:

21 pounds 5 ounces

wears 9-12 month clothes

2 teeth

can crawl..forward and backward

he can go from laying down to sitting... VERY quickly

He can pull himself up to a standing position

LOVES to bounce

Knows the difference between his family and people he does NOT know

Is a great sleeper and getting better at napping

Lover of the passies

Continues to love TV and now has a favorite show... ELMO

Loves to swim and take bathes and LOVES to splash

Can say DaDaDa and BaBaBa and sometimes he will squeak out a Mama

Screams in his high chair when he does not get his food and fast as he things he should

Loves melons

Loves to snuggle with his mommy

LOVES crawl on daddy, his favorite time of day is when daddy comes home from work

Loves other kids

His hair is also getting long... so that it sticks out over his ears, which I LOVE. He also has the MOST expressive eyes! I have never understood the whole "eyes are the windows to the soul" thing until I met my babe. They REALLY are my windows into him.

A Baby Story

2011-07-31T10:26:00.000-07:00

I have hesitated to write Nolan's birth story, partly because it still seems so vivid still but mostly because up until the moment he took his first breath, it was the worst day of my life.

The story starts on a Saturday morning. I don't know why, but I never wanted to pack for the hospital. Everything, and I mean everything else was planned and prepared in great detail but my stubborn hardheaded pregnancy grumpiness kicked in and I refused to pack. I even remember telling Nick I wasn't packing and if he wanted something at the hospital he had better pack it himself. Aren't I sweet? So on the morning of my trial induction we had limited supplies in the car. I say trial induction because the plan was to rub some jells around up there and send me home. But when we got there the doctor said I was going to be admitted... aka we were not leaving with out a baby! Oh I was so excited that I was going to be in labor. First things first, an ultrasound to make sure baby was in the right position. We went down to the imaging part of the hospital and all of the sudden things started looking very familiar and anxiety and fear started to overwhelm me. The year before I had been in the same ultrasound room as they tried to locate the source of my extreme stomach pain... that time left the hospital with out the baby I was carrying when I had arrived and with one less fallopian tube. Nick, ever comforting, told me that THIS time would be different. I recovered quickly once I heard the strong heart beat of my baby boy and was then happily rolled upstairs and back to my room, where after a day and a half of jells, walks, and membrane strips... I was still no closer to having my baby.

So....New plan... have an ultrasound and then go home and wait some more. I was not all that fond of this new plan, but there was a catch. There were a few things they had to see on the ultrasound before we could go home... 10 things in fact and they had to see them in 30 minutes. Things like certain movements, right amount of amniotic fluid, etc. If they saw what they needed to see in 10 minutes then, great, all done. I watched the clock intently... 15 minutes left... it's okay he still has time to show his stuff... 10 minutes left...okay baby let's get moving... 5 minutes left... is baby okay?... 1 minute left... guess we are not going home. I asked to tech, "so he didn't pass?" And she sweetly told me that it was okay and that there just isn't always enough room for them to move very much. I was again, rolled back to my room. From that time on the tone of the day changed... the nurse was very vague about what the ultrasound had shown, and said the doctor would be in to talk to me about it. The nurse also told me that I needed to stay on the belly monitors, and no more walking. After I insisted I was finally allowed to walk the halls... where I could feel the other nurses' eyes following me. Looking back, I should have known to be worried... but I wasn't, I was trying to stay positive and excited that I soon would have my baby... on the outside. About 7 hours after that days' ultrasound the doctor finally came in to talk to us. My sister was there visiting at the time and the doctor asked if she could leave so we could talk. My heart sank, I thought to myself, no I'm not ready to hear this, I cannot lose another baby, not after getting this far, I cannot leave this baby here, I need him too much. The doctor told us that the ultrasound showed results that make the doctors unable to rule out hydrops. What the hell is a hydrop? It is fluid on the spine and neck. It could be nothing OR It could be an indication of a number of conditions "not compatible with life." The doctor went on to explain that if there is an issue it would first manifest itself in his breathing and they went into what they could do the help him breath...like poke needles into his chest. We talked about where he would go if he needed a higher level trauma rated hospital and whether or not I should leave now and go to another hospital to deliver. And then the doctor left Nick and I with some papers to think about things.... and then I totally lost it. I sobbed on Nick's shoulder for a long time saying over and over, I can't leave here without him while at the same time trying to prepare myself for a baby that might not be mine for very long. We called our parents and asked them to please come as quickly as possible... there was no way we could have kept it together without our parents. And they needed to be there, to see him when he was born, just in case... there wasn't another chance. At that point I was spent and the idea of going through labor was just more than I could bear. I had to know NOW if he was okay. Though the doctor said the baby was stable now and I could try to have a vaginal birth, I opted, we all opted for a c-section. Once the decision had been made I was in the OR within minutes.

Waking up during a surgery and feeling it has ALWAYS been a fear of time. And here I was laying on a table about to be cut open and I'm wide awake... feeling sick from the medication and overwhelmed and so so scared. I remember telling the anesthesiologist my legs still felt tingly and asking him if the meds were working. He asked me, can you feel any pain? I told him I couldn't and he said good, because they've already started. WHAT?! I was irritated, no warning? And then all the sudden the anesthesiologist tells Nick to stand up so he can see over the curtain... his son is about to be born... he does and sees the doctor pull Nolan out of my belly. And then... I heard my Nolan cry... I will never forget that sound... they brought him to me and I touched his cheek and said, "on my god" like a million times... I think I may have even been yelling. They took him to get warmed up and in a blanket and the nurse told me she was going to tell our family that Nolan was happy and healthy. Latter my dad told me that when the nurse came to tell them, she had tears in her eyes. The doctor told me that Nolan's head was so big that he was not going to come out any other way but by c-section... my 9 pound 3 ounce boy! Then they gave Nolan to Nick and Nick sat by me for a while so I could see and touch and smell Nolan while they sewed me up. I hate this part of the story, but I have to tell it, because it is part of the story... I remember wanting Nick to take Nolan away, I couldn't handle it. Being awake during surgery and currently being sewn up, having been so scared, having my first baby, feeling sick from the medicine... it was completely and utterly overwhelming and I kept thinking, I can't do this, I just don't have any more to give. I never did tell Nick to take him away, but eventually the nurse told Nick it was time to for Nolan to get his bath and other things. Nick left and I was all alone.... I was glad that Nick was with Nolan and watching over things but laying on the operating table not able to move or really talk very well was one of the most isolating feelings and I have never felt so alone in my life. I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and I felt sick and scared and cold... really cold... I asked the nurse to hold my hand and cried.

Finally I was sewn up and they wheeled me back to recovery. I sat in the bed thinking about my pregnancy and the pregnancy before that and what the last 10 hours had been like... I asked my nurse who was standing next to me doing paperwork. "Do you have kids?" She said yes, I have six... SIX?? She was this super cute tiny young nurse... her oldest was 15 and youngest 6 months. I asked her, "how did you do it? I barely survived this pregnancy and this delivery was just too much." I then told her, "I can't do this again, it was too hard." And she told me that I would not always feel that way. I told her I was pretty sure I would... and then Nick, my mom and dad come into the room with my Nolan. He was hungry and ready to eat so I nursed him and held him, and smelled him and looked at him and LOVED him. And then I turned to my nurse and with an ear to ear completely satisfied sort of grin and said, "I could do this again." And I would, do it again, a million times over I would do it again. Nolan has been my JOY. I love everything EVERYTHING about him... from his fuzzy hair to his long toes. I love his serious personality and that he is learning and growing so much every day. I am so smitten with him daily. He is worth every tear and fear and pain, all of it.

Our New Addition

2011-01-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

On Sunday January 9, 2011 at 9:55 PM we welcomed to the world Nolan Bart Gailfus. He was 9 pounds 3 ounces and was 20 1/4 inches long. He came home from the hospital on Wednesday the 12th and we are loving every minute with him.

Long Overdue Update

2009-08-30T07:44:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that it will be almost a year since Terra and I got married. Terra and I also have been homeowners for a year now and love our home.

A lot has happened in the last seven months since our last post. We have a new edition to the family. No, it is not a baby. The new edition is a dog. Terra gave her to me as a present this last Christmas. She is a dachshund or more commonly known as a weiner dog. We named her Zoe and she is a lot of fun. Terra just likes to call her weiner.

Terra’s sister and her Yavapai College softball team won the NCJAA College World Series for their division. It was held up in St. George, Utah. Terra and I managed to take time off work to see the tournament and cheer them on to victory.

Terra has also started on her way towards a master’s degree. She is one week away from finishing her second class at University of Phoenix. Only two more years to go and a lot more papers to write.

That’s all I can think of to write about for now. I just wanted to post a quick update. Hopefully we will not wait another seven months before making another post.

Finally Married!

2008-11-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

The day has finally come and gone. Terra and I are now married. For those of you who came thank you so much. Terra and I currently in Maui on our honeymoon. Pictures to be posted soon.

Yard work, Neighbors and the Shark!

2008-10-25T17:04:00.000-07:00

Today armed with Nick's shear determination, we tackled the yard. I haven't really been feeling all that great the last few days but I thought it might be good for me to get out of the house and get my blood moving a bit. The day started around noon when I finally finished getting dressed. We got some lunch and then headed to my parents' house to pick up a few more yard tools. I say "more" because Nick had spent the previous evening at his mom's house getting the bulk of the yard tool we needed. So after finishing up my parents' house we went to Costco to get enough water to get us through the day in the yard. Finally at about 4PM we made it home. As we were pulling into the drive way Nick starts taking about waving to a clown. I gave him the furrowed eye brow look and asked "What?" And as I asked I turned my head down the street to see a fully grown man in a clown suit walking out of the garage a few doors down. Thus initiating our first official meet the neighbor encounter. Clown guy is in the army and does charity work as a clown and his wife makes jewelry. They just moved into the neighborhood too. He seems really nice, but I'm not sure I would recognize him if he wasn't in the clown get-up.

After we said good-bye to clown guy I start trimming the bushes with Nick's mom's electric hedge trimmer (LOVE IT!). Nick seemed a little worried that I might be cutting them back too far. I guess I learned my yard skills from my father; who's philosophy is cut it down to the roots and you don't have to trim again for another 4 months. To appease Nick, I left a few leaves on the bushes. A few yards away, Nick worked on the mesquite tree. Though the tree does a great job of shading our front room window from the sun in the afternoon, it sure a mess of tangled branches. Nick started to saw the branches of the tree back. Our neighbor, two doors down on the opposite side of clown guy's house, came over with an electric chain saw and told Nick he couldn't watch Nick use a regular saw on that tree any more. Chain saw guy also let us use his trailer to put our lawn clipping in because we have yet to get our green trash bin from the city. After it got too dark to ensure we were not going to clip our fingers off or saw our arms off, we cleaned up the clippings and came inside.

After coming in side I kind of got in a cleaning mood. I finished the dishes from dinner and swept the floor and then decided to try out one of the gifts from my bridal shower. The Shark. It is a steam cleaner for tile floors. Nick helped me measure out the right amount of water to use and off I went. It is so fun to use! It's like magic, you just move over the floor with it and then the spot is clean and even better....its dry within seconds! YAY!!! All in all, a good day. I am exhausted, but it has been a good day!

Getting in the wedding spirit...

2008-10-23T02:11:00.000-07:00

It is surreal...in 16 days Nick and I will be married! I was talking to my mom the other day and we were talking about the 11 months of planning that has gone on and now in just a few more days it will be done and Nick and I will start our lives together as husband and wife. It leaves me a little awe struck. I will be picking up my dress from the alterations place in less than a week (I cannot wait to put it on again!). Nick will be picking up his tux in 2 weeks. In just over 2 weeks we'll be picking up the favors. Our rings are ready and we have even practiced putting them on each other. It really has come together....

Also... last Saturday was my bridal shower. I had a BLAST!!! And I must thank Jen for organizing it and also thank Jen and Kacey and my sisters and mom for all of their hard work and brilliant ideas! It was Halloween themed...and everyone dressed up and there were carmel apples and all the people I love were there...I didn't want the night to end. I also got some really nice gifts, ones that even made me cry because they were so thoughtful. We also played a really fun game where Brianna video taped Nick answering questions and everyone had to guess what his answers were. Sadly I think I got the lowest score...but Nick and I had a little talk about his answers when I got home. :) Love you hun! Anyway, it was just really great!

Coming Up on the Final Stretch

2008-10-08T14:44:00.000-07:00

The wedding is coming up fast. Four weeks from Saturday Terra and I will be getting married. We have been busy with not only getting settled into our new house, but with also putting together the finishing touches on the wedding and reception. We cannot wait for the wedding. Not only because we cannot wait to be marrying each other but to also be done with all the planning. Thirty days and counting babe. I love you.

Invitations Sent - Registration Complete

2008-09-14T04:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was quite a productive day for Terra and I. First we got the invitations all ready and we sent them out. Then we went and sampled some cakes and decided on our cake design and flavors for the wedding. Then being that we sent out the invitations stating that we were registered at Bed Bath & Beyond, we had to go register there. It was a long process but we got it done. They seem to make it a lot easier than Target does. Terra thinks it is due to the organization of the store. I would have to agree. After a day of wedding stuff, it is back to getting the house ready to move into.

Closed! - The House is Officially Ours

2008-08-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

We know we have not posted in quite some time but we have had quite a busy week. First things first, we have closed on the house. It is officially ours and we have the keys. On Monday we signed the title paper work. On Thursday we got the call from our realtor that the home is officially ours. Thus starting what will be a long and exhausting September. Over the next 30 days we have to paint, fix some fixtures, get appliances installed, move and clean the apartment. We spent most of the day today at Home Depot and Best Buy getting things for the house. At Home Depot we got most of the necessities we need to fix what is in need of repair in the house. Things such as light bulbs, door stoppers, smoke detector, switches and outlet plates. At Best Buy we basically just purchased a whole kitchen worth of appliances. We just have to say thank you for 0% financing or we would be using a camp fire outside to cook. We also picked out some potential paint schemes for the inside. If anyone wants to help with a little home improvement work we could sure use it.

In other news. We are working on getting the invitations to the wedding ready to be sent out. So keep an eye on your mailboxes.

Registered

2008-07-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Terra and I went over to Target to start our gift registry. We found that it is not as fun as it sounds. Well actually, it started out fun then got old rather quickly. Needless to say, it is still a work in progress. As usual, keep an eye on our wedding page for more information.

Home Inspection and Website Update

2008-07-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

Today we had the home inspection done on the home we put an offer on. No major surprises found. Just some minor plumbing issues such as a toilet that needs to be resealed and missing shower handles. There was also some signs of termites but we were told that is a common thing in Arizona. Our realtor even convinced the bank to turn on the gas for hot water heater and the furnace so the inspector could make sure those were okay. Basically nothing came up in the inspection that makes us want out.

In other news, I have updated the Wedding page to include the time and location of the wedding as well as a Google Map. In the future we will be including other information such as where we have gift registries and how much the cover charge will be. Only kidding on the cover charge. However, keep an eye on that page for more info, especially if you are invited.

A Look at Our Possible New Home

2008-07-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in a previous post by Terra, we had placed an offer on a home and it was accepted. Armed with Terra's camera, we took another tour of the house this afternoon and took some pictures. They can be found on our photo page. Hope everyone is have a safe Fourth of July weekend. I for one am feeling better. Terra takes good care of me.

Feeling a little under the weather

2008-07-03T17:47:00.000-07:00

Today my poor Nick has been a little sicky. He got sick and I didn't get to come home and take care of him after work. But when I got home at about 11PM, I sprayed the entire bathroom; tub, toilet, sink and floors, down with bleach. I feel a little light headed now and slightly buzzed, but at least the bathroom is disinfected. Now I'm watching Oprah from Monday and eating a popsicle to try to sooth my throat that feels as if it has sustained a chemical burn. I sure hope Nick feels better so we can have a fun 4th of July.

Nick and Sophie

2008-07-02T15:23:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Nick and I went to my cousin Jen and HP's house for dinner, and I've decided that I don't feel bad just barging in on dinner over there because their family does not eat leftovers. Anyway, dinner was DELICIOUS!!! And after dinner Nick spent the rest of the night playing with Jen and HP's 2 year-old daughter Sophie (or Sassy as her mother calls her). It was the dang near cutest thing I have EVER seen! Sophie spent the night lifting up Nick's shirt and saying "ding dong" as she stuck her finger in his belly button, playing human Jack-in-the-box as Nick did an excellent job of acting shocked as little Sassy jumped up from between the couches and being lifted up in the air as Nick pretended he could not find her. It was so sweet!

Nick says a don't have to "kiss his ass" every time I post a blog, but I cannot help it, he melts my heart! And so honey....SMOOOOOOOOOOCH!!!

A little update...

2008-07-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Nick and I went house hunting for the second weekend. This time our realtor previewed the homes before we went looking, and she really found us some great homes. By the end of the day Nick and I had narrowed our favorites down to three. 1. A custom home that on a HUGE plot of land...but it was in a county island and being taken off of the market in 2 days and being sent to auction. Ultimately the listing agent never returned our calls and we decided that living in a count island would just be too much work. 2. The house that Nick liked. Large and really nice floor plan, and an okay yard. But the carpets were kind of warn out. 3. The house that Terra liked. Open floor plan, HUGE kitchen, landscaped back yard with a built in grill. So, after excluding house #1, I gave in and we put an offer on the house he liked best. We were out bid by $15,000...and we were NOT willing to compete with that! So that left us with house #3...the one that I liked best. We put an offer on it on Tuesday and today (Wednesday) at just a few minutes after 7:00PM we got the news that our offer was accepted! We are giving our earnest money to the title company tomorrow and then we should be opening Escrow on Monday-ish of next week and closing in August. Now we are working on getting our inspections done. Nick and I are a little shell shocked but VERY excited!

As I'm writing this it all sounds so easy, and I guess all in all it was relatively easy...but it was not without some sweat and a few tears. I know that it's not over yet, and there are still some very important things to be done but I cannot imagine going though this process with anyone else but Nick. I am so grateful for the man that he is and who he helps me be.

New Photo Page

2008-06-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

A new photo page has added to the site. So far it is the pictures of us from Sedona, Arizona last November on my birthday. We will be adding more to the page in the future so stay tuned.

Buying a House

2008-06-17T14:31:00.000-07:00

For the past 6 or so months, Nick and I have gone back and forth quite a few times on the subject of becoming home owners. We have talked to a few home finance people but, until tonight, we have never felt really ready. Before I continue about the events of this evening, I have to go back about 2 months. It all started with a simple text message from my cousin Jennifer, who until that text message, I did not know very well. That text message led to one of fastest and deepest friendships I have...pretty sure we were separated at birth or something. Anyhow, it has been her prompting and trusted connections that gave both Nick and I the courage to take another step towards the purchase of a home. Which leads our little story to this evening. We sat down with the loan officer Jennifer had recommended and together we went through all of our financial information. Within an hour and a half, Nick and I had been pre-approved for a home loan and feel really good about our understanding of the whole process and what we can afford. AH! SO EXCITING!!! Tonight, for the first time, buying a home seemed more exciting than scary.

Tomorrow we will be expecting a call from the realtor we have chosen (the wife of our loan officer) and hopefully we will be in our very own home by August/September (when our rental lease is expires). And even if we haven't found a home by that time and need to wait, it is so exciting to know that at this point in our lives, it is something that is completely obtainable.

And so I would like to say how grateful I am for a few things. 1. Nick - your strength and your steadiness keeps me grounded, your truly are "my line in the sand." 2. Kacey - for getting the idea of home buying in my head and in my blood (in a manner speaking). 3. Jennifer - for also giving me the encouragement and referrals both Nick and I felt we could trust...and just wanting us around and in your life. I love you!

We'll keep you posted....

The Couple That Blogs Together, Stays Together

2008-06-14T04:51:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our website. About a week or so ago I had this idea of creating a website to allow people to obtain information on our upcoming wedding. Of course, after mentioning this idea to Terra, she held me to it. Thursday night I purchased the domain name and signed up for hosting from GoDaddy.com. In two days I got the site up and running using Wordpress blogging software.

Look to this website for news from either Terra or I on the upcoming wedding or other events happening in our lives. Our wedding page will have all the information you need from what time it is at to how to get there.