34 week survey and long update (contractions & dilation)

Lately I've been dealing with "Braxton-Hicks" contractions and they've made life a little more complicated and a lot more uncomfortable. I mentioned them to my OB at our last appointment on Thursday and she decided to do an internal check just for good measure.
I was already dilated to 1cm! I was shocked. She then did a swab to test for a certain type of protein that if present could indicate that I could go into labor within the next two weeks. If positive, they would call me back in that day and give me a shot of a specific steroid that matures baby's lungs in preparation for an early delivery. I waited to hear back ALL day and after I called and left two messages I got a call at 4:45 pm from the nurse that the test was negative- which was a relief.
However- later that night I started having contractions every 9 minutes or so for about an hour. They told us to call in if there was more that 6 in an hour and we got well beyond that. Ben talked to the on call Doc who had us go in to Labor & Delivery. I had a bit of a breakdown, scared that he could be coming too soon. We packed a bag, just in case, and headed there.
By the time we got checked in they were coming around every 15 minutes and then slowed to just one in the half hour they had me on the monitor. I was just glad that I had one while being monitored so there was some sort of affirmation that I was actually experiencing them! Baby looked great, and I had my second internal exam of the day. Was still at 1cm and they sent me home with orders to take it easy.
They seemed to come on more whenever I moved. Not like, I'm going on jogs or even long walks, but simply when I stood up and walked across the room or went to the bathroom. So I stayed at home and on the couch all day on Friday- hoping to keep the contractions at bay. I still had some, but nothing frequent.
I tried doing some simple chores on Saturday but got too tired and my body was aching from the contractions and just from being in the late weeks of pregnancy. We managed to go out to eat with some friends and picked up a changer pad for the changer chest at Target...the one thing we didn't have ready for baby that is essential for his arrival into our home.
This morning I woke up at 4am to go to the bathroom for the hundredth time but couldn't and didn't fall asleep after getting back in bed. I tossed and turned until Ben's alarm went of at 5:45am and I dropped him off at church for worship practice.
When I got back home and was getting ready I started to feel REALLY nauseated and twice I waddled as fast as I could to the bathroom thinking I was about to throw up but then nothing by the time I got there. Very reminiscent of my first trimester...
I wen to church anyway and started to feel better- but at about 11:30am, during the sermon I started having painful contractions that were about every 3 minutes. Ben timed them using contraction master on our ipod and after service I called the OB's office.
While I waited for the on call doc to return my call they started to slow back down. I missed her calls because my phone was still on silent from church (danged pg brain!) and she left a message saying I'd have to go to the hospital to be evaluated since she couldn't reach me. REALLY? Why she just didn't leave a call back number, I'll never know.
I didn't want to go back to L&D and the contractions had slowed back down so I decided to take a much needed nap and slept for about 30 minutes...I had a couple contractions during my nap but was able to fall back asleep. I knew if I went back to the hospital, they'd just hook me up to the monitors again see next to nothing and send me home.
I plan on calling my OB's office tomorrow to see if they can get me in (my next scheduled appointment isn't until the 17th) to check and make sure that this recent bout of contractions hasn't caused me to dilate any more.
I have two weeks of work left and feel like I'm going to end up being totally miserable and useless if this doesn't stop. The nurse at L&D on Thursday said that if by my next exam I'm any more dilated that she would guarantee that I won't carry to my due date. My family is now guessing this will be a June baby instead of July. I'm just praying that he waits 2 more weeks to pass the 36 week mark when it's safer for him to arrive.

How far along?34 weeks 2 days
Total weight gain/loss:30 lbs!
Maternity clothes? I am getting so sick of trying to get dressed every day and having next to nothing that fits!
Stretch marks? some on my hips that I had from my teenage growth spurt have extended a little more, but not much else.
Sleep: pretty much non-existent. I dread going to bed every evening.
Best moment this week: How calming and supportive my husband has been, even when he was scared for both myself and our little boy.
Movement: he has been getting the hiccups at least once a day, sometimes more.
Food cravings: chocolate ice cream...until today. Now I'm nauseated.
Gender: boy. It's weird to answer this question every week...it ain't changin'!
Labor Signs:1 cm dilated, 0% effaced, constant contractions for the past week.
Belly Button in or out? still a little bit of both, out on the top and flat on the bottom.
What I miss: having a bigger wardrobe to choose from.
What I am looking forward to:finding out what the heck is going on with my body and all these contractions.
Weekly Wisdom:Pack your suitcase early and have it in the car- you never know what will happen!
Milestones: being dilated already is both exciting and scary.

Here's my 34 week picture- taken today.