On Saturday my cousin Leah and her fiancé, Ted (or as Annie calls them, Tia and Teddo) came to our house to watch the kids so Mike and I could go out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary. Ever since Mike has started going to an office every day, Annie has been very displeased when he leaves the house on the weekends. But, with her beloved Tia and Teddo in the house Annie barely glanced at us when we said goodbye. It made for a very guilt-free dinner.

Here is some free advice to those of you considering a December wedding: Don’t do it. Sure, your wedding will be gorgeous and your venue will likely be decorated for the holidays so you’ll save a ton of money on flowers and decor. But celebrating your anniversary every year will always be a challenge. There will probably be an office holiday party on your anniversary at least every other year. Babysitters are at a premium in December (You can’t have Tia and Teddo, they’re mine!), and even if you find a babysitter, good luck finding a restaurant that isn’t overrun with holiday celebrations.

I’m kidding, of course. I wouldn’t change my December wedding date for anything, even if it is one of the craziest times of the year. The restaurant we went to was overrun with holiday shenanigans, causing us to be seated an hour late, but we didn’t stress because we knew the kids were in good hands. The delay meant more time spent just the two of us, something we very rarely get these days.

Yesterday was our actual anniversary, and my day’s schedule had the kids and me pretty close to Mike’s office around six pm. We made a plan to all meet up with Mike for a family dinner, where we’d celebrate our seven/eleven anniversary (our wedding and dating anniversary are the same day). I started the day on the phone with my bank – my debit card had been compromised and our account had been hit several times. It was a long morning but everything is being taken care of (thanks, BofA!). Later in the evening I got a text from Mike that his car had broken down right in the middle of one of the busiest streets in Hollywood. Luckily, some nice guys passing by helped him push it to the side of the road.

Long story short, the car is a mess and we never made it to dinner. Annabel was distraught (“BUT HOW WILL WE CELEBRATE IF WE DON’T GO TO DINNER, MOMMY,” She shouted over and over), but Mike and I had to laugh. A broken-down car was devastating to Annabel, but it’s nothing to Mike and me after our eleven years together. Even our looted bank account was barely a blip (although that would be a different story if the bank wasn’t taking care of it).

We came home and ate cookies on the floor, and we enjoyed our time together before it was bedtime. Annabel made us promise we’d celebrate our anniversary with her this week, but I’d personally be happy with another cookie fest on a blanket in the kitchen. It’s a very different life than the one I pictured on my wedding day seven years ago, but it’s full of love and that’s all a girl can ask for.

Self Portrait #1