He finally got the girl! How Kanye West took NINE YEARS to convince Kim Kardashian to go from friend to fiancee

They just got engaged on Monday in San Francisco with a sparkling 15-carat Lorraine Schwartz diamond ring, but Kim Kardashian and Kanye West already have a long history together.
The rapper and the reality star - who have been dating since early 2012 - have known each other for nine years.
Here's a look at how it all began for the parents of North West.

Finally a ring: Kanye West proposed to Kim Kardashian on Monday - her 33rd birthday - after knowing her for nine years

Kanye West proposes to Kim Kardashian with an orchestra

Their supporters: Kendall Jenner joins Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian as well as Lorraine Schwartz (third from left) and several others

The Diamonds singer first met Kim in 2004 when she was married to Damon Thomas. They became friendly but didn't date.
He has said that when he saw a photo of her showing off her toned legs next to then best friend Paris Hilton during a visit to Australia in 2006, his heart started to go pitter-patter, but nothing happened.
In September 2007 the friends ran into each other at the Intermix party in Beverly Hills. He still had a thing for the Armenian beauty, but he was seeing designer Alexis Phifer, who he started dating in 2002 and became engaged to in 2006. Kim had just started seeing football player Reggie Bush.

When he first took a shine to her: The 36-year-old has said that he noticed the Kardashian beauty when she was photographed Down Under with Paris Hilton in 2006

Their first photo together: The reality star with the rapper and his fiancee at the time, Alexis Phifer, at the Intermix opening in Beverly Hills in September 2007

After he split from Alexis in 2008, the Gone hit-maker hooked up with model Amber Rose.
Kim, 33, and Kanye, 36, saw each other again at the Y-3 show in New York City in February 2009 - where Kim was hugging on Reggie as she sat next to actress Milla Jovovich and an uncomfortable-looking Mr. West looked on - and the crush just intensified.
On Kris Jenner's talk show this summer the Billboard cover boy admitted he developed an intense attraction to the star around this time.

Awkward alert! The Armenian beauty with her arm on boyfriend Reggie Bush as she sits next to Milla Jovovich and an uncomfortable-looking Kanye at the Y-3 show in NYC in February 2009

Secret meeting? Having a quiet talk on October 4, 2010 at the DASH store in NYC

'I just dreamed about being next to her,' he confessed, also admitting that he would draw himself in next to Kim on the Kardashian family Christmas card.
Kim split from Reggie for good in 2010 and Kanye split from Amber that same year.
Though they looked happy during a talk at her NYC DASH store on October 4 and then her 30th birthday party aboard a yacht in the Manhattan harbor on October 21, the OPI spokesperson had been seeing another football player, Mike Austin.
In December 2010 when the musician was on hand to held Kim with her music video Jam (Turn It Up), mom Kris snapped at him for checking out her daughter's famous derriere by bluntly saying, ‘Don’t be looking at her a**’. The songwriter snapped back: ‘I’ve never seen it actually.’
The Atlanta, Georgia native saw the Kardashian Kollection designer then date Halle Berry's ex Gabriel Aubry. She dumped him for basketball player Kris Humphries.
Once again Kim was off the market when she wed Kris in a lavish ceremony in August 2011. That marriage famously crumbled on Halloween in 2011, and shortly after Kanye swooped in.
At first they were friends, Kim has said, and that blossomed into a romance of international proportions.
On March 6, 2012 they let it be known they were spending time with each other when she sat front row at his show during Paris Fashion Week.
By April they were holding hands in New York City, where they would go on several dates, like dinner at Catch restaurant. The Drop Dead Diva actress would dress to the nines in tight frocks and sky high heels to impress the musician.

They already look like a couple: In 2010 during her 30th birthday aboard a yacht in NYC

Embraceable you: The two collaborated in December 2010 on her music video for Jam (Turn It Up)

He liked it: Kris Jenner told Kanye to stop staring at her daughter's 'a**,' a story that was recounted on a 2012 special reunion episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians

A bad detour: Instead of dating the Diamonds rapper, the Kardashian Kollection designer wed basketball star Kris Humphries in August 2011

In May they were seen cuddling at a Lakers game, proving this was not some minor affair.
At the Cannes Film Festival in France that same month, they went public with their relationship as they walked the red carpet together in Cannes for the film Cruel Summer.
Kanye was clearly starting to have an influence on her fashion choices. She started stepping out in chunky jewelry and tough-looking boots.

Dating at last: The friends took it to the next level in April 2012 when they held hands in NYC

Cuddly: The duo looked intimate at a Lakers game in May 2012

Their first red carpet appearance: Also in May the duo posed at the Cruel Summer premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in France

She's family now: Mingling with his besties Jay-Z and Beyonce at the BET Awards in July 2012 proved the reality darling was getting close to the rap star

At the BET Awards on July 1, there was photo evidence that the Power singer was bringing Kim further into his world when the new couple sat next to his old pals Jay-Z and Beyonce.
In December the performer announced he had gotten Kim pregnant. The expectant parents were not photographed together that much until they walked into the Met Gala on May 6. Kanye looked proud as he showed off his heavily pregnant girlfriend.
On June 15 she delivered their baby. Several weeks later he showed off a picture of adorable daughter North - nicknamed Nori - while on her mother Kris' show.
It's been a love fest ever since, especially during Paris Fashion Week when he took his baby momma to many runway shows, most notably Givenchy's on September 29.
He proposed on her 33rd birthday in San Francisco's baseball stadium. A date has not yet been set for their wedding.
This will be a third marriage for Kim and a first for Kanye.

Already pregnant: The daughter of Kris Jenner showed off a sizable bump at the Met Gala in NYC on May 6, 2013

Their offspring: On June 15, 2013 they welcomed daughter North into the world

His trick: In August he told his future mother-in-law during her talk show that he would Photoshop himself into the family's Christmas card, which he exemplified by drawing this stick figure next to Kim with a Sharpie

Happy parents: On September 29, 2013 at the Givenchy show in Paris