Happy New Year - Anniversary Edition

Three short years ago Matt and I had a rockin' New Year's Eve. We had a lovely wedding ceremony, followed by a party where the adult beverages flowed, the dancing didn't stop, and everyone looked gooooooooood. For our first anniversary, I got a diamond watch. For our second, we spent a long weekend partying in Chicago. For our third, we treated ourselves to a 4-star restaurant that accepts babies: Chez Maio.

Dinner at home...the times, they are a'changing!

Genevieve went down hard at 7 (hallelujah!) and from there Matt and I tag-teamed in the kitchen. We started with mixed greens with warm goat cheese, followed by steaks with garlic butter and a fantastic penne ala vodka, and ended with fresh strawberry gratins and champagne. The marsala sabayon in the gratins was enough to clear anyone's mid-winter cold, so if you're feeling stuffy just c'mon by and I'll whip one up for you. After our gastronomic adventure we watched our wedding video and by some miracle were able to stay up until midnight (was anyone else feeling a little sorry for Dick Clark??). So while it wasn't a swingin party, it was fun to re-live the memories of our wedding and then head upstairs to see our little sleeping Squish.

Fortunately Chez Maio does not have a dress code

One of my New Year's Eve traditions is putting my wedding dress on. First to make sure it still fits (it does), and second because I am still totally in love with it and firmly believe it should not spend its entire life packed away in the closet. Although not that apparent in the pic, Genevieve was smiling and talking when I asked her if she liked it. Smart girl.

Happy 2009 to you all!