March 1.

Nine years ago today, at 2:15 pm, I had a 6lb 6 oz little girl. I can still remember the day so vividly. I’d gotten up early and for some reason wanted to cook. I didn’t want to eat. Just cook. So I cooked. I made lasagna, chicken potpies, and spaghetti. Enough to feed me and the DH for a week.

He was still working third shift and he came home, found the kitchen a mess and gives me this look…I don’t think I wanna know what you’re doing. Out of the blue, I told him that he probably needed to get some rest.

Less than an hour later, I woke him up and told him we needed to go. That was around 9 am. Six hours later, she was here.

Being a mother is unlike anything I expected. It’s hard work, but it’s fun. It’s heartbreaking, but it also soothes. It makes me want to rip my hair out (or theirs), or laugh until my sides hurt. It makes me think harder than I’ve ever thought before but it also comes so naturally, it feels like I’ve been doing it all my life. Plain and simple, I love it.

Happy Birthday, Bratlet.

March 1 is also the start of Round 3, 70 Days of Sweat. I’ve got a novella to finish, a novella to write and a full length book titled Chains that’s due to my editor this summer. I’d like to get it done by the time Sven wraps ups, edits and all so I can have some downtime before starting the next book.

I’m looking at 120k over the next 70 days. If I write 1800 words every day, I can do it. But I don’t write on weekends. I’m setting a goal of 5k a day to make up for the weekends and the occasional weird day when something keeps me from writing much of anything. With Sven standing over my shoulder, yelling and threatening to whip me into shape, I think I can manage that.

But I’m going to have to learn to say No. I’m going to have to focus, stop procrastinating and just write.

If you’re doing Sven too, then you probably understand all of that. Good luck!