That's a bit like what I do. First I write random bits of notes in my notebook, and lately I've started taking advantage of various features of Scrivener, in that I write my ideas for scenes and such in Scrivener index cards, sometimes write in bits of description/dialogue that occurs to me, or even parts of scenes that may go into the draft later, and make various brainstorming notes in other documents. It works well for the chaotic process that my planning and writing is, because I can later organize everything better, I can insert new things in between whenever I feel like it, and when I want to start writing I can just turn my notes into scenes. Well, I haven't yet actually written a full first draft this way, but I've done the same kind of thing previously, just without the software.

But I finally realized that if I didn't write it, there would be no novel, so now I include it.

The same here! I've included a lot of brainstorming and planning notes in my word count this year, because I need that phase before I can actually write.

An alibi sentence is always better than no sentence at all, so yay! Especially if you're pleased with it. :-) Hope the next days will be better for you. :-)