BABY DOROTHY IS EIGHT!

 I cannot even. I mean, I know that tie marches on, etc etc etc. BUT YOU GUYS.

I still remember my little Idea of March baby being born like it was YESTERDAY.

I went into labor on March 13 at Ben's birthday celebration. My mom and dad came on the 14th, even though they both had to take off work, and my labor slowed down. Ben hung out with them and the 3 boys (including a full-on BABY Cooper) while I did hypnobirth breathing in our room, feeling so incredibly peaceful.

I almost got an epidural because I was so hungry and tired and wanted to relax, but Ben told me to just drink some juice (like I was Shelby), and we walked the floors with a tumbler of apple juice the size of my femur. I spent so long in the tub sleeping between contractions that Ben fell asleep in the couch in our birth suite.

Transition woke us both up, but there is something so perfect about unmedicated childbirth-- it's such a clean pain with no lingering sensation between the contractions, so you can use that moment to regroup and be ready for another one. The contractions build like waves, so you can sort of ride them and feel the crest, which keeps the fear at bay. And the feeling of expelling a baby with no meds-- it's a high and a hormone rush like no other.

I pushed for 20 minutes, and there she was-- pink and tiny and ready to eat. And also I ate a Subway BMT that my nurse had been storing in the nurses' station fridge WHILE DELIVERING THE PLACENTA. Always so delicate-- that's me.

And now she is EIGHT.

She had a wonderful birthday with all of us home together and friends delivering cards and presents. She wore the sundress she picked out even though we had a NAMED WINTER STORM. she chose all 3 meals (sheet pan pancakes, Panera takeout, and burgers on the grill with corn, green beans, and the palest pink watermelon I have ever seen). Hers was the last birthday party before the world shut down, and now all the kids have had a birthday cycle without a party, and they DO NOT LIKE. Expect lots of parties in our future, I guess.

Here's 8 in pictures:

My present-wrapping helper who became irate when I would not let her eat the paper because I AM SO MEAN.

The most perfect birthday sunrise ever:

Look-- she is literally IN THE AIR about this doll

Always up for a party:

Ready for summer-- thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

Thanks for the awesome dolls and furniture, Grandma!

Pancake cake!

Table decor:

BALLOONS!! (I can't recommend this company enough, BTW)

Nothing to do with birthday, but this is funny:

The whole party crew!

We moved the decor indoors right before the freaking BLIZZARD.

Birthday mess

Panera!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME

We played Pic Wits at dinner per the birthday girl's request, and she totally won. We usually play a game of some sort-- Trivial Pursuit, Cards Against Humanity, What Do You Meme, etc

Look at all those candles!

What a perfect birthday

(Even the ugly cake was perfect)