Labor! Labor! Labor!

I think my sweet little Hope is trying to pound her way out of here!

After many false starts throughout the week, that had me so frustrated I refused to blog about it, things took a new turn yesterday. With the morning sun and coffee, contractions began to settle in for the long haul. At first, it was the typical Braxton Hicks tightening (that had been strengthening significantly over the week), but as the day began to wane, things became slightly painful. The contractions relaxed after midnight and I was able to sleep through the night with only an occasional awareness of a contraction taking place.

By morning at church, I became distinctly aware that I no longer was experiencing any tightening in the stomach, and instead each contraction greeted me with a pure wave of pain. Dull pain. Not unbearable. Just different. By this afternoon, I got serious, and just about all of my doubts were erased. This was it. Time to pack the bags. These suckers weren't going anywhere regardless if I was walking, laying down or standing on my head. They still hurt. And that was just plain ol' exciting as I slowly grasped the realization that I just might be entering real labor. REAL LABOR! Without the Pitocin drip! Uncharted territory. :)

I was thinking I might be headed to the hospital by now, but the contractions keep playing musical chairs. I'm looking for that 5-1-1 combo (five minutes apart, 1 minute long for 1 hour). At first they were 7 minutes apart at about 30 seconds, but as the day has gone along, they've become much more painful at a minute or more in length, however now I'm out to 7 -12 minutes apart. So I could be here for awhile still.

I've got a Mommy pep rally going on for my little girl who has given me my first taste of laboring in the comforts of home. Way to go Hope! I'm so proud of you! Daddy and I can't wait to see your precious face for the first time and give you your first kisses.