How do I Love Thee? Romance after the I Do's

Some people say that once you get married, it's all downhill from there: the skies won't be as blue, and the grass, somehow, not as green as they were during your boyfriend-girlfriend stage. The sweet, exciting love you once knew inevitably becomes a routine so predictable that each single day is no longer something you look forward to but rather an event you survive every day.

At an age where serenades are considered too cheesy and courtships now shamelessly take place in the cyber world, the following couples show that love can still be real every day. Moms and moms-to-be share their husbands' most endearing gestures, which prove that chivalry is not dead, that manliness is not dimished when a husband gives his all to his wife, and that love only gets better through the years. We asked them, “What does your partner do that makes you feel loved the most?”

“It's when he drives for me and waits for me for long hours while I attend activities that he's not a part of.” - Lydia Villacrusis, married to Dante, mother of 5, grandmother of 7 

“I feel that my husband and I have a stronger bond now that we have a baby. Even though we don't get to go on spontaneous dates anymore or buy each other expensive gifts just because, he makes me feel most loved by being a hands-on daddy - he helps me with EVERYTHING, from feeding the baby at midnight to doing the everyday chores to watching the baby so I can sleep in for a bit. I am spoiled that way, and because of that I appreciate and love him more each day.” –Margaret Hennies, married to Richard, mother of 1

“I appreciate my husband the most when he takes care of me, especially during a difficult pregnancy. I feel loved the most when he takes care of me at my weakest time.” – Twinkle Cepe, married to JC, mother of 2