After 15 years at Halldistance, I had my first birth. I also moved all metalworking to the magma level, and installed minecart tracks to connect the lower fort, upper fort, and forge level together. My first time using minecarts, so it's been an experience. I've also prepared a hall in order to tap into the adamantine. The lower fort is being expanded to be completely self sufficient, because why not? It has it's own military squads (40 strong), kitchens, stills, farms, etc... I've even built a selection of workshops.
After 3 relatively peaceful years in which the sieges were pathetic, with small numbers of unarmored recruits being sent, I got my first real siege in several years. As my troops went in piecemeal, I lost a good 7 dwarves. Each essentially stalled the siege bythemselves for several long moments, and at least one dwarf, a spearmaster, killed 6 elves and humans before falling to sheer numbers. Once the bulk of my fighting force (at least those squads ordered in, I have over 120 full time soldiers now, with every adult dwarf in the fortress armed and armored full time) hit, it was over. I lost more than twice the dwarves in this fight than the prior 5 years combined.
Masons are now working non-stop to find something to do with all this stone. Statues, furniture, etc... I've also gotten enough artifact furniture to set up royal quarters, should the caravan unbug itself long enough to become mountainhome. I'm certain I have the roads and value, but with the caravans stuck off the maps edge, I can't get the offerings in. That also means few to no migrants, which I probably would just conscript anyway.