So I'm writing this now before my contractions get any closer and I can't write at all! I believe we're having a baby today. It's 12:50am in the morning and my water broke at midnight. Felt like this weird 'thump' inside me, kind of like something all of the sudden fitting where it's supposed to be. Thought it was the babies head engaging for a minute. But then I felt the water trickle out and when I stood, there was more. Put a pad on and laid back down and more gushed out. Used the litmus (ph) paper the doc gave me and the yellow paper turned purpley-blue. Definitely amniotic! Earlier today (yesterday, I guess) I had also tested in the morning and then the afternoon and had gotten faint positives on the paper, so I might have had a little leak, but this was a definite.

I first started wondering if I was going into labor at The Golden Corral for dinner because I had a low back ache, cramping, plus braxton hicks contractions seemed to be getting closer... like 10 minutes apart. In fact, they continued that way up until my water broke, getting as close as 4 minutes apart for about 45 minutes or so. After my water broke, they went to 10 minutes and now an hour later they are about 6 minutes apart. I hope I can let mom and Noel sleep for a few hours before waking them up. In fact, if my contractions start getting REALLY close and it's still early in the morning, I'll probably just go in with Noel and have mom come in later in the morning with McKenna. I'll have to let Patty know what's going on, because she may end up watching McKenna while mom and Noel support me. So, I'll labor down here in the living room for awhile and see how things go. The contractions are stronger than my braxton hicks were, but manageable. Don't know when I'll post next, but probably after the baby is born!

Madelaine Grace Noel (pretty sure about the middle name, but not 100%)