Pumpkin update- Monday, March 31, 2008

This afternoon I called Baptist Hospital to cancel my induction for tomorrow morning. It wasn’t a big deal, and the girl on the phone was really nice. About 2 minutes later the phone rang and the woman said, “Elizabeth, it’s Pam. So what’s the deal with tomorrow?” It took me a minute to realize that it was my doctor, Dr. Pam Wills! She basically told me that she was very concerned because I am progressing and not feeling any contractions and that the baby could come so quickly that I won’t have time to get to the hospital. She did say that neither I nor the baby are in any danger. I told her that I just didn’t have peace about being induced, but would rather the baby come on its own. Her clinic is closed on Mondays, but she was out and about and told me that she wanted me to meet her at her office so that she could at least check me.

Trying to make the story short: I am dilated to a good 4 cm, and after being on the fetal monitor for about 30 minutes we discovered that I’m having contractions every 6 minutes, even though I’m not feeling anything.

So here’s the plan: I’m supposed to be at her office between 8 and 8:30 in the morning. They will put me on the fetal monitor and after Dr. Wills visits another patient in labor she will come back to her office and check me. She said that if my contractions are closer together OR if I am more dilated that she strongly suggests we go on to the hospital. Though, she of course can’t make us do anything we don’t want to do. She told me that she is going to call Baptist back and tell them not to cancel my induction, but rather that I would be late. Ha! I should say so!

So it looks like we’ll have our Pumpkin tomorrow! We didn’t discuss the scenario of what we’ll do if the contractions aren’t any closer together and I’m not any more dilated. I think the stubborn side of me will say let’s wait one more day then. But I’m almost to the point where I’m ready to give up the fight and just give birth to this little munchkin. The stress of figuring out what to do with Caroline and how to transfer car seats and take her to school, etc. is about to get to me! I don’t know what we would do without friends and family.

So, hopefully you’ll hear from us soon and learn whether Pumpkin is a beautiful baby boy or girl! Love you all!

Pumpkin update- 38 weeks

Still no baby! But definitely progress…we had another doctor’s appointment on Thursday, March 27th and I was dilated between a 3 and 4 (she said closer to a 4) and effaced 90%. I still have felt no contractions and have had no pain, and have slept wonderfully the past 2 nights- Praise God! As I have mentioned before, my doctor is extremely cautious. Which is why she told me a big fat “NO!” when I asked if I could work for a few hours on Friday! Haha She thinks I should be induced b/c I can have this baby any minute and if history repeats itself it will be a quick labor. (Caroline was less than 4 hours from the 1st contraction.) One good thing is that my doctor told me to continue taking my ampicillin for the group B strep. That means that I won’t be as worried if I can’t get at least 2 hours of penicillin in the hospital once I am in labor.
So, we have an induction scheduled at Baptist for 6 A.M. this Tuesday, April 1st. Apparently that was the only day available. My parents won’t be back from their trip, and it would be 9 days before my due date. Still, I don’t know if I want to be induced!!!! I was told that I could cancel if I want, but I would have to call the hospital b/c my doctor’s office is closed on Mondays.
Please pray that we will make the right decision, and that we will do what is best for the baby. I want GOD to be in control, not me.
Thank you for everyone who has sacrificed through homemade meals, cleaning house, watching our daughter, all the encouraging words and lifting us up in prayer. We are abundantly blessed, I just can’t put it into words.
Maybe the next time we have an update it will be that little boy Hallum or little girl Hallum is here!!

Pumpkin update-37 weeks

We had another doctor's appointment yesterday. Good news- I am not any more effaced! Holding on tight to 80% :) I really think this bed rest is paying off and even though it's not fun, it seems to be working. I am dilated between 2 and 3 cm, which didn't alarm me any b/c I was dilated the same with Caroline when I was 37 weeks with her. My doctor did another ultrasound to measure the baby, but silly me, I forgot to ask how much she estimated the baby to weigh and I don't think she told me. Again she tried to determine the sex (though she wouldn't have told us if she did see it) but she wasn't able to. So Pumpkin is still a mystery!!! Though Patrick and I both think it's a boy. Last time we finally came to an agreement right before Caroline was born that she was a girl, so maybe we have parents' intuition or maybe we were just lucky!



I have another appointment next Thursday, the first one of the day. I'm not supposed to eat or drink anything after midnight the night before. I can see what's coming...I'll be dilated between a 3 and 4 and she'll want to admit me to the hospital b/c the baby could come really soon once you're dilated that far. (Which I know from experience with Caroline- I was between a 3 and 4 on Thursday and she came the following Monday morning. Which was 4 days, not exactly 30 minutes.) I really don't want to be induced, and I see no point in being admitted to the hospital to be induced if I'm not having any contractions. So I'm ready to argue if I have to next week.



Just 13 more days and my parents, who leave Monday on their trip, will be home and that is the countdown I am going by. It could be wishful thinking, but I just can't help myself.



A big THANK YOU to everyone for all the calls, prayers, meals that are coming this week and everyone who has offered to come help me with Caroline as Patrick works next week and my parents are out of town. I cannot tell you how loved we have felt this past week by so many people. We are blessed to have you in our lives and we love you all!

Pumpkin Update

Well, I never thought I would say this, but I am officially on “BED REST!” Late yesterday afternoon I had another doctor’s appointment. I knew that I would once again be tested for group B strep (should know the results next week) and that my doctor would check me.

So she checked me and immediately asked me, “Have you had any contractions?” I wasn’t alarmed at first b/c she asked me the same thing the 1st time she checked me with Caroline. At that point I was dilated between a 1 and a 2. Well, last night I was dilated to a 2 and 80% effaced. You got it. 80%. And I am only 36 weeks and 1 day. So basically I can go into labor at any point. (BTW, I couldn’t help but think of my sweet friend Rebecca T last night, I’m wondering which situation would be worse at the time: the baby won’t come out or the baby is a little too anxious to come out! Ha) Needless to say, my doctor was very concerned. She said that the sac was “bulging” and that she could feel it. However, the baby doesn’t seem to be as low as Caroline was at this point, but I am much more effaced. My doctor was also concerned that we don’t know the sex since the lungs of little boys generally develop later than little girls.

She then gave me very clear instructions: bed rest for 2 weeks. No picking up Caroline, no exercising, no cleaning house, no working, and no Duck Duck Goose this weekend. Needless to say, I was shocked, devastated and scared all at the same time. She told me to elevate my hips above my heart (and just how am I supposed to do that?) and rest.

She did a quick ultrasound just to make sure that Pumpkin is head down, which he/she is. She tried to determine the sex, but wasn’t able to b/c the cord and legs were in the way.
So…I have another appointment scheduled for next Thursday and this time she will do an ultrasound to measure the baby and determine its weight, which is typical for all her patients at 37 weeks.

I originally had my appointment scheduled for today, Friday, but she had surgeries all day so I had to reschedule for either yesterday or next Tuesday since their office is closed on Mondays. I am soooo thankful that I opted for yesterday.

I have had a few good cries, talked to family a lot these past few hours, am working through details with my boss about possibly working from home some the next couple of weeks, and basically trying not to freak out about not being in control and accepting help from others (which I NEVER ask for help!). Besides the obvious fear that my sweet child will come too early and that something might be wrong with him/her, I am downright devastated as I am now certain my parents will miss the birth of this child. It breaks my heart. But all I have prayed these last few months is that Pumpkin would come in God’s timing. I felt like a while back I had to accept the fact that Pumpkin might come while my parents are on vacation, but knowing now that my body is potentially close to having this baby, it just adds to the stress and worries.

Please pray for our family. Pray that I won’t drive Patrick crazy as he is such a servant to me, constantly propping pillows under me and getting me anything and everything that I need, while taking care of Caroline at the same time. Please pray that Caroline will adjust well to being a big sister. I think she finally understands that there’s a baby in my belly and she will rub and kiss “the baby”, so sweet. Please pray that I won’t lose my cool, and above all else, that God will be in control of Pumpkin and his/her entry into this big world, and that we will have no complications. I trust in the Lord with all my heart, and I know he hears our prayers.

We will try to update this blog more regularly in the coming days.

Love, The Hallums

25 REASONS I OWE MY MOTHER

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13 My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite:
My mother taught me about JUSTICE
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"