Our first Christmas as a family of 3.

Last Christmas, we surprised our family with holiday cards announcing our pregnancy. It was my favorite holiday memory sharing our secret with those closest to us, but actually holding our little girl really takes the cake for best holiday memory. 

On Hen - PJs: GAP, Bib: Aden & Anais

Her Christmas haul

Manny & Simon: Pony and Carriage
Pottery Barn: Block Set, Xylophone
Anthropologie: Bird
Amazon: Bunny Stacker, Puzzle
Jellycat: If I were a hippo book 
Zulily: Cat dress
Land of Nod: Lion Shaker, Hen Clacker

I went a little crazy on the gifts. Most of them she can't use until she's 18 months! We also decided to start a new tradition, donating to non-profits instead of giving gifts to family. This year we decided to donate to the following:

Any Baby Can. As part of a group, we adopted a family and purchased for a young boy and a teenage boy. This was the one Quinn enjoyed the most as it involved flannel shirts and a basketball. 

Austin Pets Alive (APA). Dogs hold a special place in my heart. APA was the first place we found a cause in and volunteered at after leaving our roots in Dallas. They've done so much to help keep Austin no-kill and we're happy to help in the little ways we can. 

Easter Seals. We adopted a young girl that was my soul sister. She loves journaling, pink, headbands, and clothes. I enjoyed shopping for her and hope that we were able to bring joy to her holiday. 

Girlstart. This organization has a special place in my heart. It brings STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education to young girls in underserved areas. I've been volunteering with them since April. Here's to ending the gender gap in tech by teaching girls to love STEM.