On Sunday, Charis and I will have been a family for one month. In some ways it seems like it's only been a few days - like when there is something wrong and I have no idea what it is - and some days it seems like we've been together for a very long time - like when she gives me that gorgeous grin when we're talking in bed in the morning. She got her first tooth this week. I've known that teeth were coming and she loves me to rub her gums (with a cloth diaper). But on Tuesday, I felt something sharp and sure enough, there it was on the bottom! I think it won't be long before she has a few more too. The biggest accomplishment of the past week has been her ability to wake up in her room and be comfortable and happy there. For the first couple of weeks, she cried every time she was alone in her room. While three weeks seems like a long time, it's all still very new to her. But the past few days, I often hear her playing and talking to the crib toys long before she every lets out a cry to let me know she's ready for me to come rescue her.
We've spent a lot of time at the park with our friends the last couple of weeks. Charis is as likely to fall asleep while we're strolling as she is to check out nature, but it's good either way. Today we went to a local park that has a creek where children regularly play in it. Our friend Anna, who is one and is game for anything, was having a great time playing in the creek so we decided to try it too. I dipped her litte feet in and she LOVED it - she wanted me to keep doing it and keep curling her little toes up in the sand. I think she may give Anna a run for her money.
But we also have our good friend Sasha we can hang with when we are feeling a little more mellow - at least until they both can walk:) 
