"What Does That Mean?"

I went for a doctor's appointment last Friday and Nate and I got a bit of a surprise. I was describing to my doctor the current weird things my body was doing (there is always something weird in pregnancy that your body is doing, so you begin to assume that all of it is normal and let your doctor sort it out :) and she got a curious expression on her face. I told her that I was suspicious that some of what I had been feeling had been contractions. She said, "I'm going to check you out and see where you are."

She started the internal exam and said "Oh, you HAVE been contracting....". "Really?" I asked. She finished the exam and said "Really. You are 1 cm dilated and 80% effaced." Whoa, what was that second number?? The 1 cm did not surprise me at all, but the 80% took all three of us by surprise. Nate was the most entertaining though.... he had a deer in the headlights expression as he said "What does that mean??" The doctor and I responded simultaneously... "Nothing." She then went on to say that I could go into labor that day or it could be a couple of weeks. By her best guess, I would likely be on the "early side of normal" which translates to 37 or 38 weeks.... this Wednesday I will be 36 weeks... how crazy is that??

My entire family is rooting for the 3rd of July (my dad's birthday), or the 4th of July (cause that'd be cool).... I REALLY want the 3rd though..... If only babies could be persuaded to come based on our timing :) The 3rd would be great timing too as my dad will be in town and any earlier than that will make it difficult for Nate's dad to come immediately. The only downside is that my brother's family will be in North Carolina during that time :( When it comes down to it though, it doesn't matter what I want because Micah will come in God's timing anyway, be that 1 week or 5 weeks or even 7 or 8 weeks away :)

(Please God, not 8 weeks :P And if it pleases you, then July 3rd.... please :)