am i in labor?? part 1

i have been terrified of not really knowing when THE moment will happen, and just as equally as scared of having to call the doctor/nurse and tell them i think it might be happening. knowing that many, many women have struggled with this issue hasn't helped me in the least.. in fact, it has made me even more terrified as i had hoped not to be THAT patient. but, alas, i became her yesterday evening. it all really started early yesterday morning, though. i woke up with a terrible lower back ache. while waking up with weird aches is the norm these days, lower back pain has not been something i've had to deal with. but, no big deal, i just thought to myself, "stupid pillows" and went on with my day. i spent a good deal of time on my feet, still trying to get everything ready for noah's arrival. my back hurt a little more and a little more, until eventually i decided maybe i should rest for a bit. putting my feet up really helped, so i figured it really was not a big deal. i got up and went on with the rest of my day...doing some more work aorund the house, a little baking, and trying to finish the edging on the little blanket i'm making for noah's bassinet. well, not surprisingly, my back started hurting again in the midst of all of that. it was a pretty terrible pain, but still the word "labor" was far from my mind. i told ryan about it and asked if he'd help me stretch my legs-thinking maybe it was the infamous "i.t." band he is always talking about. so, he helped me to the floor to lay down and started stretching my legs out-which hurt like nobodies business! and unfortunately, did very little to help my back. in fact, when he had me laying flat on my back, i was in unspeakable pain (for all of like 30 seconds, when i informed him that i would not be lying like that and he'd have to stretch me another way). well, he got me up (which was the feat of the day!)...and we went into the kitchen to sit for a while. my mom came in and i was telling her that my back was hurting, you know, just making conversation...and she was like, "oh my! call the doctor you might be going in to labor." me, being the ever wise one (okay, actually the aforementioned terrified one), said that surely i was not going in to labor and by no means would i be calling the doctor. however, she, being the one who actually has been in labor before...6 times...talked me in to calling, just to check. so, i called and reached the after hours line, which i thought was my ticket out of this whole silly thing, but no way...they have a different number on the answering service for pregnant patients to call, so...i called. i left a message for a nurse/doctor to get back with me, letting them know what i was feeling. they quickly called me back and asked me again to explain my pain...and after deliberation, decided i was probably not going in to labor. thank the Lord! she said take some tylenol, a warm shower and drink lots of water=probably just muscular because of this big baby pulling on me. i felt better after doing this, so i'm assuming she was right...no labor for me just yet.
but, it did make us all that more ready for D-day. my mom was stoked and ryan, well, i think ryan might have been freaking out a little. he refused to leave my side for a while and kept watching me for the next hour or so, just to make sure. and, he asked me like fifty times if i was okay, how my back was, was i feeling better, etc. what a guy! :)
so...all that to say, the moment wasn't nearly as bad as i thought...and for all you preggers out there, don't be ashamed if you find yourself in a similar boat...that's what those nurses and doctors are there for. she didn't even laugh at me...