Suspicions Confirmed!

Over the past 4 days or so I had begun to notice that I wasn't out of breath anymore. Then I began to notice that I REALLY...really...wasn't out of breath. It had gotten to the point where it was so bad I couldn't move my arms much without gasping for air, because every arm movement compresses the lungs--even if not by much. If I raised them above my head, forget it. I would pass out! I went over to my mother in law's last night and the first thing she said was, "oh my god, he's dropped!" Oh! Well. All the pieces fit together. This is why my rib-bruising maniac had stopped his sadistic ways. This is why I am now getting up 5 times a night to pee when I never used to. Ah. I raised my hands above my head and nothing happened. I wasn't out of breath at all.
YAY! That gets rid of one of my worries at least. The fear that Matthew, like me, would decide that dropping really isn't what he wanted to do and he'd rather just chill out high up and wait for the C-Section. No--Matt has left the high rises and is now descending to front row seating. A strange note-looking in the mirror I can see hollow spots below my boobs and above my belly (my now belly) where he used to be! Very odd.
Anyway when I went to my doctor's appointment last Wednesday she had asked if I had packed my hospital bag and I scoffed at her and said no. She just gave me a serious look and told me that a lot of pregnancies come early and that I should pack it. I told her I would and of course, didn't pack it. To me packing the bag officially begins the awful waiting and wondering and I wanted to hold off on it.
Oh, did I mention? I am having a BUNCH of Braxton-Hicks contractions (the painless practice labor ones) . Last night they were happening like every 10 minutes!!! They slowed down and this morning I haven't felt one yet--I think they must be tied to Matt's movement because when he is inactive, I don't get many, (like one an hour), and when he is rocking out in there I'll get them very frequently.
So combined with dropping and tons of practice labor--needless to say I packed the bag last night.
The wait begins!