Books, research, and foundational knowledge don't often capture the vividness or realities of specific experiences such as labor.  My wife and I had been devoted to baby apps, newborn books, parent websites, friendly advice, and doctor visits in order to be as prepared as possible.  A lot of that information did help, especially when it came to the night she went into labor.  We were winding down in bed, my wife was snuggled up in her C pillow (more to discuss about this later) facing me and I was on my phone searching the Lowe's website for essentials we needed delivered soon, you know like vegetable seeds, shears, a bolt cutter (all items I deemed necessary in preparation for the Apocalypse). LOL  Right as I was about to hit "purchase" my wife in her sweet voice starts to say, "I know that I am probably imagining things and it's probably nothing, but I think I just felt a pop like 5 minutes ago."  In my head, "Oh Lord, this is really happening because who ever says they think they feel a pop" and my response in my most scientific fashion was "A pop? Like your water breaking? You know it's very possible that you are going into labor, his due date is tomorrow. Why didn't you say anything earlier?"  My wife replies, "Well, because I wasn't sure and you were busy and I didn't want to interrupt you and I thought you wouldn't believe me."  As I am setting my phone aside, propping myself up with excitement, yet trying to project calm for her sake, I said, "Babe, do you want to get up and see if you're leaking?" My wife replies, "I am kind of afraid to move, what if there is a gush and I get everything dirty?"  I say, "Well, this is the moment we have been waiting for, so let's find out."  So she gets up slowly, no gush reported, but she goes straight to the bathroom.  As I start to get up and go into "ok, what do we still need" mode I hear her say, "oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I am leaking babe."  I ask, "Do you see anything green?"  She let me know that there was a green substance all over her underwear and then I immediately knew that she had lost her mucous plug.  Everything was kind of happening by the book, or so I thought....