9 days to go...

I had another doctor's appointment today. I'm continuing to make good progress. I'm now 80% effaced, and almost 2 centimeters dilated. My cervix has also dropped quite a bit (along with Emery!). My doctor says I probably won't go into labor in the next few days, but feels like it could happen anytime Friday through Monday. I still have an appointment next Tuesday just in case. He said if I'm tired of being pregnant he would offer to strip my membranes at my next appointment. We'll see what happens. I don't think I'm feeling that desperate (and the percentage of that helping isn't really convincing either). I had my first experience with false labor yesterday. Nothing reallly intense. We went on a long walk to and from campus (The U of M). I noticed that while walking, my contractions (which I'm having regularly all day every day, but not consistently) would come faster and stronger. So after I got home I started to time them for kicks and giggles. For about 3 hours they came every 6-10 minutes. They slowed down shortly before bedtime and luckily I was able to sleep very comfortably. I realize that is now in part to Emery's getting a little bit lower. I didn't have any rib pain at all last night! What a miracle! I have become accustomed to sleeping on my right side, with my left hand shoved under my rib, because it tingles otherwise. But last night I didn't have to fall asleep on my hand. How great! Although I had about 3 different dreams about being in the hospital for the baby. They were all odd, none of them very reassuring. Aaron was never there, old high school friends were throwing my things out the window, they wouldn't take me to a bathroom, and the umbilical cord was prolapsed (I think that's what it's called when the cord comes out before the baby). Fortunately for me, I know that the labor and delivery here is amazing and my brother in law's girlfriend, Jessica, is a nurse there and I know she will make sure they take good care of me! Ooh, in other nice news, I even lost half a pound. We blame that on the ridiculous indigestion I had this last week. I couldn't eat a fist size amount of food without needing a tums afterwards, so I just started eating less. I wasn't ever hungry, so I just did what worked. Luckily though, I think her final dropping the last few days has taken care of my indigestion issues too. Woohoo! Great updates for me this week. Can't wait to give you the big news, whenever that day comes.