WHAT is THIS???

"THINGS" have been happening over here.

I won't get graphic... the nature of the situation lends itself to all sorts of graphic details... but I will refrain.

So understand when I say "THINGS" have been happening over here, the lack of detail is for your sake, not mine. Let's just say that ALL the things on the "early labor" check list have been checked off.

It all started yesterday afternoon when Zman got an invite to swim at a friend's house.

Great for Zman... devastating for Hgirl.

So I decided to finish cleaning our pool so Hgirl could go swimming over here (long story but we left it up over the winter and man, is it a mess!) .

So I cleaned the pool (again!) and straightened up my mess in the back yard and added chemicals to the pool... which doesn't sound like much but was huge for me at almost 39 weeks. My ankles... one word comes to mind... ELEPHANT!

Watched Hgirl for about 45 mins. and came in to finish dinner. Decided I needed to get the laundry caught up then realized... um... ouch. That really hurt.

Ignored the hurt because if I stopped every time something hurt during this pregnancy, well, I would have never moved. So, I continued with getting dinner for the kids and sat down to fold 3 loads of clean laundry that had been beckoning to me for the past week.

Ouch. That really hurt too. And this hurt feels different from the Braxton Hicks that I have been experiencing on a way too regular basis.

Fold socks.

Stack underwear.

Ouch. Um, maybe I should time these.

8:24, 8:28, 8:32... this continued for over an hour before I realized...

Maybe we should alert our middle of the night people just in case this is actually labor and we need to go to the hospital before morning???

So I email and make a few calls... Now everyone is in a tizzy!

Contractions still coming at intervals of 3-4-5 mins., strong, with crampiness, and pain, and "THINGS"... It has been 2 hours.

Maybe I should pack a bag?

Yep, let's pack.

Maybe I should call the doctor?

I don't even have a number to call!

(This is where Vince got really irritated with me...)

See, both Zman and Hgirl were induced. Although this is my 3rd, I have never done this labor thing. Not even false labor. With both of the other kids, I was in early labor when I went in to be induced and had no idea. So this pain and guessing was WAY new to me. When the doctor gave me the info. about when to call and what number and all that stuff, it went in one ear and out the other because

I don't go into labor.

I go in to be induced.

Find the number, call the doctor on call (not my doctor). His advice: use your maternal instincts. You'll know when you need to go in.

HUH???

So I take a warm bath and decide to lay down and try to get some rest. After all, if this is the real deal, laying down, sitting up, or jumping on the trampoline... it will all lead to a baby.

Contractions remain steady but do not increase in frequency or intensity. So as Vince snores, I time contractions and try to get comfortable.

We are now heading into 2:00 a.m. Contractions begin to get a little farther apart as long as I am laying down. Still having them and they are still intense, but farther apart. I am able to doze on and off but not much. Seriously. Like 5 or 10 minutes then I jolt awake for 30 mins. That pattern continues the rest of the night.

Finally, around 5:30, I am able to get a little more consistent sleep. The contractions are still there but I am in no way timing them. I really don't care. I'm tired and I hurt and I want sleep.

Hgirl is in my bed by 6:45, whining because I have not produced a sister for her during the night.

Still crampy, still achy, still hurting... contractions? Not so much.

WHAT??? I get up and start moving. That will get them going again.

One or two here or there but for the most part, nada.

I say again...

WHAT???

I'll fix that.

I'm doing laundry again and scrubbing toilets and floors. I can't breathe and I can't move and everything hurts.

Steady contractions?

Nope.

So, for the rest of the day today, I have been trying to catch up from last night's lack of sleep and intermittently cleaning only to continue with very random, inconsistent contractions.

Still have "THINGS" happening.

Still have crampiness and achiness.

Still have NO REASON to head to the hospital.

We are in wait and see mode. It really is kinda a blessing... my doctor has been out all weekend and today. If I can hold on until tomorrow morning, I get the comfort of having my doctor that I know and trust deliver me.

And if I don't go tomorrow, I will have my doctor that I know and trust induce me on Wednesday.

But I'll tell ya...

This labor business is for the birds. All this guessing and not knowing and wondering...

I'll take induction any day!