S0 I just called my doctor. I’ve been having pretty steady, strong contractions since 5 o’clock, about 5 minutes apart lasting for a minute. Those are the VERY SPECIFIC numbers I was supposed to get before I even bothered thinking about going to the hospital. They practically tattooed it on my stomach during the birthing classes – DON’T COME IN until you’re 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute, for at least an hour. E is obsessed with timing contractions and was upset that the numbers were more like 3 min, 5 min, 4 min, 3 min, 4 min, 4 1/2 min, 6 min but I just called it good and decided this was labor.

The truth is, I feel pretty ok. My stomach gets really tight and uncomfortable but it’s far from unbearable. The weirdest part is the pressure goes all the way through my lower half, not just in the front like the Braxton-Hicks. It shouldn’t be that surprising, considering I’m due to push a medium sized bowling ball out of my vagina in the next 24 hours or so, but the sensation really is strange. My doctor said I can come in whenever I want, but until it’s uncomfortable I’m better off at home. My only fear is waiting TOO long and missing the window for an epidural – but since my pain tolerance really isn’t that high I doubt there is any way I could be 8 cm dilated without knowing it.

The current plan is to hang out on the couch a little while longer, maybe take a bath, make sure I’ve packed everything I need and then head over to the hospital. I’ve been waiting so long for this to finally be IT that believing it really is is kind of hard. Can I really be sitting here typing this if I’m having a baby??

I decided my nursery could not be complete without a rocking chair, so I told E I was buying myself one. We’re calling it my birthday present, although my real birthday present will be NOT BEING PREGNANT. Mom and I went over to Babies R Us to pick up the glider I had registered for, but apparently they’re in the process of changing their stock so they didn’t even have a floor model left. I was very annoyed. So we went to Target and bought almost exactly the same chair, including the ottoman, for $100 less. Plus Mom works at Target and let me use her employee discount – Thanks Mom!

Here’s the final pictures of everything all put together, including the lamps and the rocker. The absolutely adorable Wild Things dolls are from my sister and I luuuurve them. She also painted the little table next to the rocker. I’m really really pleased with the way the whole room turned out.

And this is my final notice to my bebeh: