Early Labor??

Today We Are 40 Weeks + 2 Days Pregnant..... and Still Waiting!!

I was really hoping to wake up in the middle of the night in real pain and have to rush to the hospital and get to see my son... but No Such Luck.

I've been having contractions just about all day. From 10 Min apart and barely noticeable to 5 min apart and quite noticeable to roughly every 3min and finally hurting. The problem? L&D told me not to come back until the contractions hurt so badly I can't talk through them. They definitely do not hurt that much!

Mom thinks that part of my problem is how I've been sitting (reclined on the living room couch with my feet up). So she told me to sit up straight and walk around more. Now my back hurts, although the contractions are maybe the tiniest smidge stronger?

(Sorry if this is TMI) I am fairly sure that I lost my mucus plug/ bloody show (?) this I know is supposed to be a sign/indicator of labor. I have also heard that diarrea is a sign/indicator of labor which I'm wondering as I randomly had a bought of it about 1 hr ago.

I posted my confusion on the Message Board I belong to (for women expecting in June of '10). Here is what I posted:

Yesterday at 8am I was told I was 1cm. Yesterday at 4pm I was told I was 3cm, 50% effaced and -1 station.
I had contractions roughly 10min apart all day.
L&D told me I was in early labor and sent me home. They said "when it gets so painful you can't talk through the contractions, come back".
I've had contractions since then that have moved up to 5min apart and now 3 min apart. But nothing that is that painful. They hurt, but I can still talk & walk around OK.
I'm at a total loss for should I go back to L&D anyway with Contractions 3min apart or wait for the pain??
**Background:
I passed what I think was mucus plug/bloody show(?) yesterday (a lot of watery mucus w/ some blood in it) and have had a small amount of red/brown mucus on and off since then.
As far as I know I have NOT broken my water..
I am past my due date. Scheduled for an induction on the 22nd if he doesn't come before then.

All of the ladies who responded to me have recommended going into L&D. The general consensus seems to be that I would want to go in before the pain became that severe anyway..

My concern is three parts. (1) Am I not experiencing enough pain because I am not progressing, or because I have a good pain tolerance? (2) If I wait it out, what if I wait too long??? How am I supposed to know when to go in??? (3) I don't want to drag myself and mom out at 3am to L&D to be stuck there for god knows how long to find out they're sending me home again!