Author's Note: I am going to try my hardest to upload a chapter each day, but obviously since I'm busy with school that might be a bit of a challenge. I swear I will try my hardest to update this fic as much as possible though, and if I do miss a day then I apologise! Anywho, please enjoy!

January 1st

Maria smiled at her reflection as she was stood in front of the mirror in the bedroom that she and Georg shared on New Year's Eve, her gaze following her hands while they travelled down the front of her deep blue gown and smoothed out the creases in the material. The light from the lamp that sat on her vanity hit the gold band that was on her finger and prompted her to lift her hand, a sigh leaving her as she span the band around her finger. How on earth had it been over a year since she had married Georg?

So much had happened over the last fourteen months...so many incredible things. She had had the opportunity to leave Austria for the first time in her life; to travel to Paris and spend four months with the man she loved with her entire being, she had learned what it meant to be a wife, a mother and a Baroness, and...the the biggest blessing that she had received...well, she was gurgling away behind her while she lay on her belly on the bed. Turning in place, she felt her heart swell at the sight of her gorgeous little girl.

Rosmarie had entered her life and changed it forever three months ago, just a few days into September, and she was still just as besotted with her now as she had been when the doctor had eased her into her arms for the first time. She was the spitting image of Georg. She had inherited his dark hair and deep blue eyes, and - in Maria and Georg's opinion - she was the definition of perfection. After walking over to the bed, Maria bent at the waist to lift Rosmarie into the cradle of her arms and hold her against her chest.

'Hello, darling.' She whispered as she ran the back of her finger down Rosmarie's cheek, her heart racing when a smile graced her baby's features. Rosmarie had been blessing she and the rest of the family with smiles for a few days now, but the sight of her smile still never failed to take her breath away. 'I think that your vati is going to think you're the most beautiful girl in all of Salzburg when he sees you wearing your new dress.' She told her, casting her gaze down to the red velvet dress that her daughter was wearing.

She had spent weeks making it especially for the New Year's Eve party that Georg was hosting - along with a matching bow for her hair - and she had to admit that she was rather proud of it.

The sound of the bedroom door opening made Maria glance up from Rosmarie, her lips curling up into a loving smile as she watched her husband enter the room. Georg shut the door quietly behind him so not to startle Rosmarie before he made his way over to where his wife was standing with her in her arms, Maria's eyes shining as he wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her close enough to brush a kiss against her lips.

'It's not midnight yet, Captain.' She teased once they had parted and she ran the tip of her nose along the bridge of his as he pressed his forehead to hers, Georg chortling in response while he used the palm of his hand to draw circles into the small of her back.

'There's no law against a man kissing his wife before midnight on New Year's Eve.' He retorted. 'And believe me, with you in that dress there's going to be a lot more where that came from.' Even though his eyes were closed he could sense her blush and when he opened them he smirked as he watched her suck her lower lip to stifle her giggles.

He left a final kiss on her lips when she opened her eyes and met his gaze before he let her take a step back from him. When he turned his attention to their daughter he felt the love that he held for her deepen at seeing her in the red outfit that Maria had made for her. 'Mutti isn't the only one who looks beautiful tonight.' He said as he stroked one of Rosmarie's curls with his finger, smiling when Maria began to ease her into his arms. 'Don't you look beautiful in your new dress?' He gushed while holding her to his chest.

Maria's heart swelled as she watched her husband and daughter together while she set about putting on her elbow-length gloves. She was positive that there had never been a more touching scene. 'The first guests will be arriving any minute now, my darling,' She heard Georg say as she finished putting on her gloves, 'so we should probably make our way down.' She nodded with a gentle smile before he eased Rosmarie into one arm and allowed her to slip her hand into his free one, his lips finding her cheek as she giggled.

'I love you.' She told him, slipping her fingers through the gaps in his.

'I love you too.' He reassured her. 'Come on.'

He then led her by the hand to the door before the two of them stepped out onto the landing and made their way down the staircase to where their children were standing in the foyer.

'Liesl asked me to come and find you and ask you to come into the foyer because the countdown to midnight is starting soon.' Georg chuckled when he stepped out onto the terrace as it was nearing midnight that evening and his gaze landed on his wife as she was stood by the balustrade. 'You've been out here for a while, darling, are you okay?'

'Oh, yes.' Maria smiled. 'I've just been thinking.'

'Thinking?' He raised his brow at her as he walked over to her, his arms sliding around her waist once he stopped in front of her. 'Thinking about what?' He pecked her brow.

Maria sighed as she ran her hands along the outside of his arms through his jacket and stepped further into him, her perfume invading his senses. 'It's nothing bad, I promise. I've just been thinking about how perfect this year has been.' The two of them shared a smile. 'My life changed so much when I married you. I wasn't just becoming your wife; I was becoming a mother to our children and a Baroness, and in the beginning I wasn't sure if I would be able to handle all of that. I wouldn't change a thing now, though. I feel like the luckiest woman on earth to have you and our children, Georg, I mean that.'

Georg unwound one arm from around her waist before lifting his hand to her face and drawing the back of it down her cheek. 'I love you so much; you know that, don't you? You are the best wife and mother that I and our children could have, Maria, and I don't think there's a single word to describe just how proud you make me. You're incredible.'

There were gentle tears sparkling in her eyes when he tucked a strand of her hair back behind her ear, a giggle escaping her lips when the sound of their guests and children counting down to midnight in the foyer reached them. It didn't take long for those who were counting down to reach zero and, when they did, Maria brought her hands to lay on her husband's chest and allowed him to cover her lips with his own in a languid kiss.

Instead of drawing back after a few seconds, Georg cradled the back of his wife's head in his hand and pressed his lips firmer to her own. He heard Maria hum in the back of her throat and smiled when he felt her circle his neck with her arms, his thumb tracing the curve of her skull as he held her close to him with the hand pressed into her back.

'Happy New Year, Maria.' He sighed.

'Happy New Year, Georg.'

It was a little over an hour later, once the guests had gone home and the children had gone to bed, when Maria began to lower Rosmarie down into her Moses basket after her feed, a gentle smile on her lips as she watched her little girl wriggle into a position that was comfortable before she settled down. 'Sleep well, my sweet one.' She told her.

She stood there for a few minutes, simply drinking in Rosmarie's natural beauty as she drifted off to sleep, before she felt a pair of arms snake around her waist from behind. '1940…' She shook her head in slight disbelief as her husband left a trail of kisses along the back of her neck. 'What do you think this year's got in store for us?' She giggled.

'I haven't the slightest idea.' He whispered into her ear while tightening his hold of her. 'But I can't wait to find out.'

Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed that and please review so I know what you all thought! See you all tomorrow!