Today

3:33 a.m.
Woke with the first of many crampy contractions. After a couple, I came out to the computer to start timing them through this online site. For about an hour and a half they were coming pretty consistently 6 minutes apart, and I was constantly feeling a dull, crampy ache in my lower back.

5:00 a.m.
Took a shower after telling Ted it might be a good idea for him to stay home from work!

6:30 a.m.
Finished up my quiet morning time--Bible reading, prayer, journaling, breakfast and the newspaper. Contractions were still coming every 5-7 minutes.

6:35 a.m.
Puttered around the kitchen making a spaghetti pie to have ready for dinner...ZERO contractions during this time!!

7:30 a.m.
Still no contractions. I told Ted I didn't know what to have him do, and he responded that he felt better staying home rather than going to work (an hour away) when things were so ambiguous. If he needed to take a personal day of leave, so be it!

8:00 a.m.
Still no contractions. The kids were all awake by this time, so I left them in Ted's capable hands to do math and language arts while I lay back down for awhile.

8:08 - 9:00 a.m.
Contractions every 10-12 minutes, much more intense than the ones that had awakened me. Hope arises!!

9:05 a.m.
Drank some raspberry tea, then ate a piece of toast and an apple and prepared to go for a walk--maybe that would get things moving!

9:30ish
With Charis on her scooter and Kenna in the stroller, we walked to Walmart to buy bananas and some postage stamps, then continue walking around the neighborhood until about 10:30. A few contractions came and went, but nothing that was really earth-shaking--I was able to continue walking and talking, no problem.

11:30 - 1 p.m.
Tried resting off and on, reading a book or just trying to sleep. Of course, while I tried sleeping, the contractions intensified again--but they were still about 12 minutes apart, just long enough to let me doze off before being jolted awake again.

1:00
Gave up on napping and fixed myself a grilled cheese sandwich and some grapes. Puttered some more. Prepped some thank you cards for customers and hostesses and new downline members for mailing.

2:00ish
Went for another walk, this time with all 3 big kids. We walked to the mailbox at the corner so I could mail all my cards, then continued around the block, about 1 1/2 miles total. A few more contractions, but as during the first walk, they weren't very intense.

3:00ish
Had some ice cream at home with the kids. Played some games with Arden.

3:30
Read some comments on Facebook that perhaps baby isn't in quite the right position...pelvic movement was suggested. Hmmm. Kenna was napping, the kids were watching a movie...Ted was home from work...

4:00
Mission accomplished--rocked the pelvis, without a hula hoop, ha! Lay down again.

4:12 - 5:00ish
More contractions, more intense and closer together...perhaps we got things moving?!

So. I'm guessing SOMETHING will happen sooner or later...I don't think I can take much more of this not knowing!! Thankfully the pains have been bearable; if I were truly "laboring" for this long, I would be worried that we haven't gotten anywhere. But with the real pains coming and going so sporadically, it's hard to say for sure that labor has indeed started, though I'm nearly certain that something will come of all this!!