The real deal???

Is this the real deal? Hard to say for a first timer, but I will say these are most certainly real contractions!
We went to the OB yesterday, 3 cm and 80% effaced and another "sweeping" and Dr. Su's announcement: "I think you are going to have this baby tonight or tomorrow." Okay then... so off we go to the mall to have a tire fixed and mall walk with the best of them!
I had quite a bit of cramping and spotting all evening, but otherwise business as usual. But then, at around 1:30 this morning the first contraction hit and boy-howdy- OUCH! Sharp, tight, burning sensation in lower abdomen. This was followed and has followed with similar contractions (although some have started in my lower back) every 9-12 minutes for the past 5.5 hours. Turns out this could go on all day or longer! WTF?!
I am of course hoping for a quicker development than that considering active labor is considered 4 cm and we were at 3 yesterday prior to all this fun... in any case I took the day of work (duh!) and so did Rick and so now we wait a little more...