The journey of love and laughter ends with How I Met Your Mother Season 9 Episode 23, as the final series installment airs Monday on CBS.
Ted Mosby has finally found the titular mother of his future children and, as happy as we are for him, we hate to see the story end.
In honor of his tumultuous trek to find true love, we're listing Ted Mosby's 10 Most Memorable Almost-Mothers. From near hookups to altar bound, we rundown the girlfriends we'll never forget.
Let us know if you agree and if there's anyone else you think should make the list. And if you're already in mourning over the loss, you can always watch How I Met Your Mother online here at TV Fanatic...
1. The Slutty Pumpkin
Also known as Naomi and played by the adorable Katie Holmes, the Slutty Pumpkin haunted Ted for years. She was the girl who got away in season 1 after he lost her phone number and every Halloween, Ted would go to the same party dressed as a hanging chad in the hopes of finding her. It took until season 7 and the reality never quite lived up to the fantasy in his head.
2. Crazy Karen
Played by Laura Prepon, Karen is Ted's annoying college girlfriend and we're not sure what was worse. That she constantly cheated on him or that Ted mimicked her pretentiousness. Despite Lily's best attempts to break them up, Ted and Karen reconciled over and over again until Karen asked for the one thing that Ted wouldn't do. Give up his friendship with Lily.
3. Victoria, aka Buttercup, aka the Runaway Bride
Victoria and Ted's history was tumultuous. First he had to track down the mysterious Buttercup, then they broke up when Ted almost slept with Robin. Years later she was a runaway bride who asked Ted to deliver the Dear John letter but they called it quits for good when she told Ted he had to promise never to see Robin again. That's just wasn't going to happen.
4. Stella Zinman (Sara Chalke)
Not only did Ted meet the beautiful dermatologist while getting his tramp stamp removed, they also had the brilliant "two-minute-date." On the down side, she did leave Ted at the altar at their wedding.
5. Zoey Pierson
Played by Jennifer Morrison, there were plenty of sparks between Ted and Zoey and when her marriage to The Captain finally ended, we thought they had a shot. But when Ted had to decide between his dream of designing a skyscrapper or Zoey, his career won out.
6. Natalie (Anne Dudek)
Ted broke up with Natalie on her birthday. Twice! First over her answering machine with her friends listening as they gathered for her party. Then after winning her back, he realizes it's not going to work and he broke up with her again, this time in person. However it was unfortunate that he failed to remember it was her birthday once again.
7. Cathy (Lindsay Price)
Ted thought she was the perfect girl and was completely clueless as to why his friends hated her. But as soon as they told him, he couldn't drown out the sound. Cathy talked too much. He soon dumped her and when they met much later she's married to a man who's deaf.
8. Blah Blah (Abigail Spencer)
Ted meets Blah Blah (real name Carol, but Ted can't remember it) while playing World of Warcraft but she ordered him to tell his friends they met in a cooking class instead. It didn't take long for Ted to figure out she was on the wrong end of the Hot Crazy Scale. Eventually Lily hears Blah Blah ended up at the psych ward at Bellevue.
9. Cindy (Rachel Bilson)
Call her the "almost mother" as Cindy is the roommate of Ted's future wife whom she resents for stealing all of her boyfriend. When Cindy breaks up with Ted, he attempts to show her that there meant to be together by pointing out all of the things he loves in her apartment. Unfortunately, they all belong to her roommate proving that sometimes fate has other plans.
10. Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders)
It's how it all began. Ted's on the hunt to find a wife and meets Robin but he almost ruins their first date when he tells her he loves her. He may not have found his future wife but he certainly found his best friend. Ironically, it's Barney, Robin's future husband who encouraged Ted to ask her out.