Happy New Year!

We hit the ground running in 2011!  I went back to work full-time, Todd accepted a new job, and we took Ali on her first trip to California for my cousin Jennie's wedding.

I've enjoyed being back at work, but I do miss Ali so much during the day.  Our evenings with Ali feel so short, and I feel like she's growing up so fast.  I really look forward to weekends when we can spend more time with her. 

I'm so proud of Todd.  He accepted a positions as Regional Sales Manager for a company called General Cable.  He will be selling wire as opposed to selling components that go into control panels.  The way he explains it is that he's just selling a widget.  Todd has been with his current company Phoenix Contact for almost 6 years, and he really enjoys working for them so this is a bittersweet transition.  However, this job with General Cable will give him the opportunity to grow within the company and manage a team from Dallas.  There was not a lot of room for growth with his job at Phoenix Contact.  Todd is wrapping up his two weeks, and he will start his new position next Monday with training IN Kentucky!  Yikes, I'm nervous about getting ready in the mornings without Todd's help taking care of Ali.  Hopefully, I'll get a routine down soon.

Ali did GREAT on her first plane ride!  I was so afraid that I would be THAT mom with a crying baby, but Ali didn't make that fear come true.  I didn't know that I could be so proud of her so soon and at such a young age!  We fed her when the plane was taking off so her swallows would help her ears equalize, and then she slept for most of the flight.  Then we fed her again on the way down to help her ears.  It worked!  She was an awesome baby both on the way there and the way back.  Of course, our first trip didn't come without its challenges.  My mom planned to fly to Dallas and then be on the same plane with us on the way to Los Angeles.  However, her flight to Dallas was delayed, and she missed the connection.  Then we ended up sitting on the runway for an hour waiting for an issue with cargo.  Fortunately, since we were delayed and my mom was able to get on the next flight, we ended up arriving at LAX around the same time.  Whew!  The wedding was very nice, and it was very nice to see my aunts, uncles and cousins.  Our flight was delayed on the way home due to the snow in Dallas (can't believe we missed the first snow!), and my poor mom missed her connecting flight home to San Angelo! 

Unfortunately, we did not do a great job taking pictures from the weekend.  Here are a few from the plane (Yes, Daddy used Ali as an iPad table!) and from the wedding.