Relationships

7 Signs You And Your Partner Have Made It Past The Honeymoon Phase

by Alyssa Samson
Stocksy

To quote Aristotle, “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.” Time stops when you’re in love, leaving you adrift in a sea of endless distraction and bliss.

Your other senses begin to overwhelm your daily thoughts, and you cling to those moments, eager to paint vibrant, tender memories to stand the test of time. You’re no longer consumed by the mundane, daily routines and obligations.

What is left is a carefree attitude allowing you to show the very best version of yourself. “The third wheel,” “Tinder-obsessed,” “single” -- kiss those titles goodbye. You have become perfect in someone else’s eyes -- a work of art upon a pedestal.

While you may argue with yourself that you resemble a piece by Claude Monet rather than a Caravaggio (beautifully mysterious from a distance and a hot mess up close), you have finally found a companion.

And, while the sheer astonishment of your newly-changed Facebook status may cause you to look and act your best around your newfound partner, you eventually begin to slip out of the honeymoon phase.

As time inevitably rolls on, each of you continues to reveal the deepest quirks about your personality, and long gone are the red carpet, fanfare days of dress up and acting.

Your relationship evolves into something deeper, something real, like the fact that he knows every childhood ambition and the stories behind every scar. He's not going to leave you for cursing like a sailor, inhaling an entire pizza by yourself or choosing to deliberately not wear pants as soon as you get home from work.

Nevertheless, you can’t help but admit that a few changes have materialized as you’ve moved on from your puppy love. Here’s how to tell if your relationship is out of the honeymoon phase:

It’s a pleasant shock to see him/her at his/her finest.

You’ve become so accustomed to seeing your significant other in sweatpants, hoodies, leggings or jeans that you about snap your neck when you see him or her “dressed up.”

While you certainly fell in love seeing the “real” side of that person, you’re nothing short of a One Direction-obsessed schoolgirl eyeing him or her in this curious transformation.

You know when to expect date night.

Money is a peculiar thing. When you’re single, it seems as though your money gets more action than you, multiplying in your pockets, waiting to be spent. But, when you finally land a special someone, money suddenly disappears faster than you can say “Valentine’s Day.”

Throughout the months, your relationship matures from a needy, infant baby to a frugal toddler, agreeing to go Dutch on your outings. You have come to expect frozen pizzas and Netflix on the weekends before paydays, and you’re perfectly okay with being broke together.

Large quantities of food overpower sexy time.

It’s no secret that when you feel comfortable around someone, you decide to indulge in “doing the dirty.” Sometimes, it’s greasy and in large quantities.

That’s right; what was once a salad at dinner has now morphed into enough Taco Bell to feed an army. When your partner has witnessed you consume 2,000 calories in a single setting, say goodbye to the lustful honeymoon phase.

Soon, it will become more preferable to hang out with your friend, Gluttony, than to engage in sexy time.

Enough is enough.

Once you graduate out of the honeymoon phase, someone receives the honorary award of the other partner no longer surrendering the blankets at night. Too long has he or she suffered through a cold, glacial slumber.

No longer will he or she succumb to the romantic gestures forced on by society; a fight will be fought for those blankets. May the odds be forever in your favor.

You’ve grown to hate the same people.

The bonds of an everlasting relationship are solidified by mutual hate.

Over time, you each have learned the ins and outs of each other’s personalities, including the people who make you throw up a little in your mouth. It’s become a reciprocal understanding that you stand united in your loathing for Justin Bieber.

You no longer hold anything back.

Whether it’s verbal (or physical) diarrhea, you no longer hold anything back from your partner, even if he or she doesn’t want to hear it. Your thoughts are an open book, or a rushing waterfall.

Sometimes, your rambling may keep him up at night, causing him to seriously consider his sanity, but when he wakes up, you bet your britches you’re the first thing that comes to mind.

His/her quirks have become endearing.

As the romanticism begins to slide down the slippery slope of realism, you’ve still managed to stick by each other. Yes, he leaves his socks everywhere. How does she manage to leave strands of her hair in every location?

As much as getting to know a person may be painful (Let’s face it: No one can be as awesome as you), you’ve developed a fondness for the things that make your partner who he or she is.

Ladies and gentlemen, you’ve survived the test of time when experiencing all the good and bad things about a person makes you appreciate him or her that much more.