"Practice sessions"

This morning I woke up, got in the shower as usual, and started having pretty severe contractions. Not the usual bh kinds, the kind that won't go away when I walk around. The ones that come at pretty regular intervals, and lasted about the same length. THOSE kinds. I called the midwife, not sure what to do or if it was just a different kind of bh. While waiting for her to call back (there was some sort of mixup at the hospital and she didn't get paged for an hour and 15 miuntes), they started to slow down and eventually the painful ones stopped. Ann says it was just a "practice session" but it made me antsy. It hurts-but I think I'm really ready for this. I'm full term now, so she can come any day now and be totally fine. But at the most 3 more weeks...
And to celebrate the 17 days left in my pregnancy, here is a list of 17 feelings I have at the moment:
1. Holy cow it's hot. I have my own furnace strapped to my body at all times. It must be nice in winter.
2. My ankles are so swollen that they are trobbing with pooled blood.
3. I can't even fit into my sneakers anymore. The only thing that fits is my reef flip flops, and wearing flip flops makes it worse. Catch 22.
4. When I had to put on my sneakers in the car the other day by myself, I had to wear them with the laces untied for the rest of the night because I was too embarassed to ask someone to tie them.
5. One of the most embarassing things I've had to deal with is asking for help to put on my pants in the morning...
6. I really really miss being able to eat cereal.
7. Or even just a huge cold glass of milk with a cookie bar on Sunday nights..
8. Soon I won't have to waddle anymore..
9. The nursery looks beautiful, and sometimes I just walk in and look at it.
10. Hormones take over quite often causing lots of tears, and also lots of angry times when places like the Rite Aid make me wait when there is no reason. At least I can get stuff done.
11. All I think about 99 percent of the day is maybe she'll come...now....
12. Although I'm really ready to not be pregnant, and even more ready to meet her, sometimes I forget that I'm going to have her forever then. and thats a little scary.
13. Classes start soon-and that I'm nervous about too.
14. It is weird to see L start to get nervous and excited too. I think I have focused on myself far too long into this pregnancy that I forget his life is going to change too.
15. What kind of chocolate should I get for the person who wins the baby pool?
16. Gosh...it seriously is so hot.
17. Soon my fingers won't have to be sore at all time during the day, and the callouses will go away, and I can eat healthy, but not worry when I have a sandwich that my bloodsugar will spike, or that I'll go into a low with my medicine...

bonus, 18-Wonder if someone will bring me a big cake from Season's in the hospital that I can eat all myself since I got no shower cake.....