I'm still bitter towards everyone who can wear BPAL oils and have them smell the way they ought, since on me every single BPAL oil I've tried has turned to Play-Doh smell within minutes. Bah.

Hey Katie B, we tried having a group of strong people lift the old shed on a flat bed to move it, but it didn't work out. We took it all apart and put it back together. This time is more complex because we are rebuilding it smaller. Still many of the components are nearly 20 years old, which has sentimental value to me. The original shed was built by DH#2 and two of my nephews. 2 of those 3 are gone now but I still remember them building the shed fondly. Brendon is sweet to preserve as much of it as he can for me.

every single BPAL oil I've tried has turned to Play-Doh smell within minutes

Sniffing wrist... So far, no Play-Doh smell. Body chemistry is weird.

Were you induced, Susan?

Yep. Between the induction and the sheer amount of drugs in my system by the end, my experience is completely useless for things like knowing when other people are in labor or applying personal experience to my 19th century childbirth scenes.

my experience is completely useless for things like knowing when other people are in labor or applying personal experience to my 19th century childbirth scenes

The thing is, it's different for everyone, and it's different with different pregnancies. My labor with Ben was nothing like my labor with Sara. So you can pretty much make it up. As long as you've contractions and pain in there, you can write a birth scene.

As long as you've contractions and pain in there, you can write a birth scene.

Probably true. I did have one of my CPs suggest a minor alteration to make the childbirth scene in my first chapter, and I went along with it, because I have no memory whatsoever from the first 30 minutes or so after Annabel was born other than when they first held her up (and I swear she looked as big in my eyes as she actually *is* now!), and that I thought she wasn't crying loudly enough and therefore there must be something wrong with her. (There wasn't--her apgars were 9 and 10. She was a tough kid right from the start.)

Incidentally, that childbirth scene is getting rave reviews from CPs and contest judges, on the whole--thanks for giving me the idea in the first place!

Though I'm still kicking myself for not doing a better job on the synopsis. It's depressing having a judge or two not think my story is all that romantic, when in my mind it's just the most romantic thing EVAH, all because my synopsis left 90% of the romance arc out, because I figured all the starcrossed love and angst would be self-evident from the set-up.

I have become the girl who spends Saturday morning looking at cookbooks so I can decide what to make for dinner for my boyfriend. I like it.

Much labor~ma to you, Stephanie. I am stunned at how calm you sound. Looking forward to more baby pictures.

Eve is adorable with her new haircut.

I think I need to take a buffista baby tour of the country.

sending the ma~ towards stephanie

my cat is unhappy that we pulled up the rugs. so he went outside ate grass and then threw up all over the floors. Little does he know that that is part of the reason for pulling up the carpet.

Easy birth~ma to Stephanie.

OMG, I just earned the race slut title.

I think I just hit on a driver and told him that he'd be a lovely festive birthday present for me.

Never lust and post...