The Goodwin Gang

Having Grace

2012-02-03T08:38:00.000-08:00

I'm that mom who, in the spirit of taking a great picture or doing something "fun" with my kids, ends up smashing someones finger under a pumpkin.

Or props my toddler on the table to pose for a really cute picture, realizing later it'd have been easier to ask my husband (pictured only feet away) to hold her or something less dangerous.

I am also that mom who doesn't feel too bad about pulling a few hairs out of her already-sparse-head to get the clips on the crown positioned just so.

So, I've become accustomed to asking for grace and forgiveness from my kids.

And in true Princess-form, they forgive.

There's a lot of forgiveness and grace coming from the hub's side, too.

"Would you mind pulling the girls up the hill one more time so I can get a great shot of both of them looking at me? Slower. Wait, hold...ok, faster. Now split the difference and look back at me while the girls are smiling. NOW quick!!"

He's a real team player.

We have learned that having grace during the parenting years is as essential as having an endless supply of snacks in your purse/bag/car/jacket pocket. You will likely never make it to the end of the day without needing to dip into that stash.

And so, we hope to be good grace-givers: to each other, to the kids, to our friends, to neighbors, to democrats, to homeless people, basically everyone, no matter how tough it is to swallow your great come-back and simply say, "Sorry about that."

Thanksgiving is a good time for grace.

Grace from a little sister to a big sister who, during thetumultuous teenage years, received many screaming threats to "Take my jacket off NOW" or "Do NOT tell dad about that."

Thankfully, grace was given and now we can just laugh at incidents such as The Biscuits That You Made But Were Always Hard As A Brick and I Never Failed To Let You Know That.

Grace from a little brother to a big sister for trying to teach him too many lessons when we were kids: too much jam on the toast, too much ice cream in the bowl, too much karate chopping while trying to defend yourself against my pinching.

NOT having grace is just harder. Who has the energy or time to keep up with the endless File Cabinet of Wrongs Against Me? "Remember during the summer of 95' when you said..."

Grace is a life-style we hope to live and to give so that we too can enjoy OUR kids when they get big.

Grace makes life MUCH happier.

It's a lesson Canaan has learned at school: asking for forgiveness from Matthew for spitting on him, thinking that he was really a bad guy and not just a kid standing in the line to go outside for recess.

It's a lesson Shiloh has learned: asking for forgiveness from Santa for piercing his ear-drum right before his big appearance with the other kids.

Santa's a champ.

Forgiveness and Grace is freeing: like throwing your hair bow somewhere in the field then taking off running when your mom asks you to go get it.

"I do not at all understand the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us."

-Anne Lamott

The joy of living a life of grace? Like Shiloh opening her first present on Christmas--"What is it? I don't even know but HOLD THE PHONE, this is AWESOME!"

Here, we captured Grace on Film: "Canaan, I forgive you for hoarding all 18 Barbies while leaving me only Ken's Shoe."

"Shiloh, I forgive you for pulling my hair out in a big clump and then clawing my face with your tiny fingernails."

At times, it's worth asking for grace AFTER you do something hilarious. Thanks, JimmyKimmel.

I personally love asking for grace from my thighs after enjoying a zillion cookies during the Christmas Season.

Living a life of grace: tough at times (having the awkward "I'm really sorry I..." conversation). Plus, being right-all-the-time-no-matter-what is not as fun as you've imagined it to be.

But it is so worth it: like Canaan's face on Christmas morning, the experience of true joy can only be had through living a life of Grace.

And that is what Jesus and Christmas is all about. Having grace.

I Used to Know A Lot of Things

2011-11-12T11:07:00.000-08:00

I used to think I knew a lot of things. Enough important things to fill the Epcot Center Globe at Disney.

Things, I thought, nobody else knew--things that people were just waiting to read in my book titled "All Things You Could Possibly Want To Know In The Universe."

Then when I got married and started having kids, that book slowly condensed over the years to the length of the Copy Right sentence: "There's Really Just One Thing I Know About And Here It Is..."

I thought I knew all about the love of God, but then I became a mom and a wife.

And I realized there is nothing quite as spectacular as the miracle of a child's/parent's/spouse's unconditional love.

To share life with a spouse whom you continually choose to love is a miracle.

It's easy to unconditionally love your kid. Especially when she's ready to meet THE Princess Belle for the first time ever!!

And when both of them are smiling and happy and cute and their clothes are clean and they are so grateful to you for taking them to Disney World...

But then that loving gets a little inconvenient at times...

especially when it's 90 degrees and we've just waited for an hour to meet Rapunzel.

Or when kids start to get tired and don't want to wear their crown or Mickey Ears or their clothes or stay in the backpack or walk on the ground anymore.

But even when love becomes inconvenient or tiring or a bit more self-less than we initially signed up for...

...God has given us the Big Unconditional Never Stopping Love to get us through those sleepless nights or the fever-pitch screaming in the line of "It's A Small World".

And like childbirth, you tend to forget the tough times when you get to kiss little cheeks like these.

A little laughing always helps, too.

All those things I previously thought I knew so much about (marriage, parenting, health, church, friendships, relationships, blah blah blah) began to pale in comparison to the ONE thing I've learned in the past (almost) ten years of marriage and parenting.

Love is a big deal.

Loving God, loving others, loving Mickey.

So while I know far less than I used to, I believe I've come to learn more about the One Thing that could affect and change our lives forever.

And I'd like to thank my husband and kids for helping me learn that.

Be Rich

2011-10-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

We have a lot of birthdays at the Goodwin Household.

Actually, only four, but they do come once a year, so we're looking at quite a few birthday parties.

And each birthday party comes with the obligatory gifts from all the friends and family of the birthday recipient. Including lots of cake.

While Canaan and Shiloh would love to have birthday presents and eat their cake too, we decided to go a different route.

Each year, we give up our birthdays.

At first glance, it may seem like we're the type of parents that don't let their kids watch that one Disney Movie where if you watch it in slow motion something PG-13 happens or we boycott Cabbage Patch Dolls because of some political stance that happened back in the 80's. Or those parents that tell their kids watermelon is actually a dessert and aren't you lucky to eat as much of it as you want.

We do let our kids eat cupcakes. Especially to celebrate our favorite people.

And we do have Cabbage Patch Kids.

We just feel like there's more to life than stuff.

Could a birthday party just be a celebration of life?

And while we're at it, bring a pool toy to donate to our local kids-at-risk home, the TurnAround Kids.

A lollipop, two cupcakes, the jumpy thing in the lake, and all your friends are better than getting eight more Barbies.

Okay, maybe a few presents since they've been desperate to have a Rapunzel dress and a new teapot.

But what if every friend brought a gift for our kids? That's a lot of stuff.

Sure, kids love stuff. I love stuff. Everybody loves stuff.

But what if we could put all our stuff together to make a BIG difference in someones life? When all that stuff is finally released (from our hands/wallets/closets/pinata) it could make a life-changing impact.

And what if your friends and family saw the impact that has? What if THEY started doing it too??

A ripple made by a little girl is just as powerful as a ripple made by us grown-ups.

Ripples made by two little girls are even better.

Because their ripple has changed the lives of these kids.

Of Kelsey and Sedrick and Yasmeen and Cibias and Quentin and Caden and Antoinette...

We'd like to leave an impression on our kids to "do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share" (1 Timothy 6:18)

And giving away our birthdays is a great first step.

We encourage your family to give and serve--to be rich in good deeds. The TurnAround Kids is a local home for kids and can be found at http://turnaroundkids.com/ . Watermarke and all the North Point campuses have launch an awesome campaign to partner with local organizations to give and serve. Check that out at http://www.howtoberich.org/

Whatever you do, do it big.

Love

2011-08-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

In our family, love is a big deal. So we try and teach that a lot.

Fostering a sense of sisterly love: it's like Will Ferrel's Motivational Juggling Routine in The Office.

While balancing Shiloh in one arm, seven barbies in the other, walking up the stairs to get the laundry, making sure Canaan doesn't fall down the stairs since she's donned the Belle Gown and her pumps, at the same time as making a motivational speech about how biting someones finger and saying "I thought it was a snack" is not ok--that is the Motivational Juggling Routine I live.

Holidays such as the Fourth of July provide a perfect opportunity to encourage our motto, "Love God and Love Others (primarily your sister right now.)"

We use a variety of techniques to instill love, such as the old Comparison of Your Situation Discussion, "You think you're mad about not being able to sit in the left stroller seat since Shiloh's sitting there? Think about how the Patriots during the American Revolution felt after their taxes were unjustly raised! LOOK!! A Fair Tax float coming down the street right now!!"

A good float can make anyone feel more loving.

And also the 107 degree weather dulls the senses so that you don't really feel much of anything else.

Loving others includes babies like Dawson (Cassie and Craig Gentry's little boy). Loving is easy when the recipient sleeps 95% of the time.

I think that's why God chose to teach us about the unconditional love between a parent and a child beginning when the child is mostly asleep for the first few weeks.

Because unconditional love is put to the test when there are major messes involved. Of course I still love you, but do I like the fact that I just ________ (swept, mopped, gave you a bath, cleaned this kitchen, vacuumed that carpet, cleaned out the car...) and now there is ________ (ground up crackers, unexplainable flour scattered, finger paint smeared, lentil beans squashed...) everywhere?

Is "unconditional like" similar to "unconditional love"? Completely different?? Not sure.

But then I look at this little face and the noodle-shrapneled floor and I think, "This is what it's like when, despite the messes we've made in our life time, God still looks at us and says, 'I'm crazy about that kid.'"

Love for our friends: Canaan learns this lesson aboard the boat with the Bardin's.

Despite the fact that her life jacket was circa 1972 and Gracie and Joy's had sassy designs and met the Coast Guard weight/height requirements, Canaan learns an important lesson: love knows no fashion.

Is it okay to love someone especially more if you're secretly hoping he'll marry your daughter one day? Is that, in fact, the epitome of "conditional love"?

Love between a Pop-pop and his granddaughter is very genuine--poor guy had three sons and now has three granddaughters with little to no previous experience of dressing Barbies or matching crowns to earrings or h0w to deal with high pitched screaming fits. But love covers a multitude of shortcomings. Good thing, too.

You may be familiar with the trusty "Five Love Languages." In our household, we've added a few more.

The Goodwin Family Love Languages

1. Danger--we both give and receive this one. Perching your young children on a tall rock for a photo shoot shows that a.) I love you enough to take a picture one handed while spotting you with the other, strategically out of the picture so I won't need to photo edit later. b.) you love me enough to trust me when I say, "If you fall, we'll probably have to call 911." Danger provides that perfect opportunity to show how much we really love each other.

2. Squirrels: when we see a squirrel, we are reminded of our high energy three year old. Constantly on the move, thinking of and implementing a "great idea", and able to jump great distances without a thought as to if I'm going to make it or not. We also think of our crafty one year old, who can hide items in places that will be sure to remain hidden for a few months or so. Like the Little People we find in coffee cups, or the cow in the bottom shelf of the fridge, or the blocks in the cat's water bowl.

And so squirrels remind us of the crazy love we have for our girls.

3. Tickling: a favorite among the younger children, tickling produces instant happiness, thus erasing the negative feelings related to time out, or the loss of the mermaid's tail under the couch again, or the frequently heard "No more sugar for you" response, or the fact that I do have to change your diaper many times a day whether you like it or not, or even the old Nemesis: Bed Time. Tickling makes love easy.

4. Cleaning up your own mess: one that Tim looks forward to every day of his life. Whether it's using a fork the entire meal or not taking apart the sandwich and just licking the jelly off one side or simply wiping your own face after dinner, this love language speaks especially loudly for him.

But despite the daily (and insanely numerous) messes we clean up every day, life is full of way more love when those kids are in the picture--jelly smeared face and all.

Before kids, I thought I loved other people pretty well. But in the back of my mind there was usually a condition, "As long as they..."

Having kids proved that I had no idea what unconditional love was all about.

Poop under my fingernail again? Not a second thought. Perpetual ants under your high chair thanks to throwing food on the ground every day? No problem. Not as much time to do what I want to do anymore? Somethings come up that's a little better than that.

Loving others.

How to Be Content. From, Shiloh.

2011-07-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

In our house, we previously saw the word "Contentment" and thought, "Yeah. We know contentment. As soon as I check off the 19 things on my to-do list and then bake my own bread and then start two companies and then listen to this flower."

Then Shiloh came and the word (and life) was re-evaluated.

Often, Canaan and Tim and I are busy with activities such as: dressing Barbies, writing a blog, logging in 300 miles in the Nike app, perfecting our cloud bursting technique, etc.

Then we look over at Shiloh to see: smiling.

And we think, "Smile more. Stress less."

We also implement the old date-on-a-budget-trick where we celebrate our ninth anniversary by buying nine sentimental things for under $5, such as the ever priceless nail file cause "you sharpen me." I suppose I could have hand-crafted a monogrammed chair cushion for Tim's office, but I remember to be busy less.

Well played, Shiloh. Well played indeed.

While the Goodwin's still enjoy the occasional Warrior Dash through mud, fire, and ninja obstacles, and even though it's hard to "tone down" the excitability factor that rears it's head every 30-40 minutes in our house, Shiloh just looks at us and waves us on.

She reminds us to be content with broken sunglasses, out dated bathing suits, and crappy shoes. So does this enormous pile of crappy shoes.

Although Tim actually was first in his wave of runners until the 20 minute hold up trying to get through the "Web of Despair", he's content with a medal and a drink and his cutie cheerleader.

Whether there's mud in my ear, or cereal smooshed in the bottom of the car, or crayon on the wall, or a poop stain on Tim's good shirt, we're learning to be content in all situations.

Canaan tends to resist this lesson--"I don't WANT TO (slow down and) WALK ON THE BALANCE BEAM!" as she's running across the balance beam, swinging off the rope and landing into the foam pit.

But that kind of energy and drive is going to win her an Olympic Gold. Just kidding. Not really. Either an Olympic Gold or security level clearance at NASA.

We're content with a Participation Ribbon!

But she does have nice form.

Summer days are good for learning to be content. A sprinkler instead of the Bridge Mill White Water Park? No prob.

Shiloh's happy, every one's happy.

Or Shiloh has to do some business, which is often the case when she pauses from all the smiling and waving and laughing to "focus."

We often tease Shiloh (if teasing an 11 month old is okay?) that she's a prime candidate for Prom Queen or President of Sigma Alpha Pi or even Vice-President of the 2041 race. With all her waving and smiling, she's on her way.

She has taught Canaan the fine art of "Fake Smile" in the case of situations such as: Swim Lessons With Ms. Autumn Who Makes Me Go Under Water Even Though I'm Screaming No.

Of course Shiloh's content. Who wouldn't be when Swim Lessons consists of two inches of water, a nice tan, and a "pool side" drink?

Note: no toys floating around Shiloh. Any toy in the vicinity has already been called for. (By Canaan, who is constantly coming up with "Great Ideas.") Thus, Shiloh has learned to be content in literally, every situation: "No toys? Not a big deal. I love plain water. And my hands, of course. Love those guys!"

We can always count on Canaan to come up with a fantastic scenario involved three ratty-haired Barbies, half a plastic egg, two feet of string, and an empty Vanilla Flavoring bottle.

Shiloh's mostly Canaan's personal assistant in these matters. Or the Family Cheerleader. Or just cute.

Cooking is the perfect moment to teach the lesson of contentment to a vivacious three year old.

1. Be patient--tasting the all-purpose flour isn't half as good as tasting the actual baked cookie.

2. Be thankful--at least you got to eat the batter off of the spoon, one blender thing, and the bowl. Many children in Cambodia don't even get this opportunity. Shiloh didn't really get this opportunity, come to think of it. She was content playing with the whisk.

3. Be happy--if your Dad saw your face, he'd freak out.

Thus, lessons of contentment learned in the kitchen.

As a parent, we learn to be content with the kids God gives us: one insanely fun 3 year old and one incredibly happy 1 year old.

I've given up the Friday Night Lights Cheering For Our Strapping Young Football Sons dream. Not to say it might happen in the future.

But for now, I'm very content.

Contentment became really real to me when Shiloh wasn't crawling as soon as ______ or pulling up as soon as ______ or walking as soon as ______. But I soon learned that Shiloh is ultra-content just laying there or sitting there or scooting there. No toys? No developmentally appropriate device to pull up on? No physical therapy to encourage walking? Shiloh scoffs at that. She's happy with her toes. And an old piece of cereal if one's nearby.

We've documented the meaning of contentment in our house. Shiloh: "Didn't finish my cup of tea? Not even on the radar. Look! A teapot!!" Canaan: "My Rapunzel dress is falling off my skinny little body? First I stop and breathe and think, then I realize I have to quick run and put on my high heels." Mama: "Haven't vacuumed the house in a week and I've got plants to water? Enjoying tea with my little girls is way better."

"I've kept my feet on the ground, I've cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother's arms, my soul is also content." -Psalm 131:2

A Good Balance

2011-06-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

As a parent who stays at home, I am constantly learning the fine art of balancing.

Balancing the amount of sugar our children intake per day--mostly none...

...but on days like Easter, we let a Cadbury Egg slip through the old "Insulin Defenses."

The rest of the year is spent balancing the weight of the sugar in a Cadbury Egg against the actual food we eat. Conversations like this are often heard in our home, "A lollipop? Why not a hard boiled egg instead? Gosh, are they ever good!" or "A cookie? I know--a slightly salted rice cake with honey! Now THAT is some good stuff!" Maybe even, "You're wondering where all that candy that your grandparents gave you for Easter is? Well, direct your attention to this trail mix starring our friends, The Dried Cherries!!"

But alas, Easter comes, and with it, 89 hidden eggs in the backyard filled with yellow number five colored candy corn.

So tactic #1: divert their attention while slowly siphoning off the pastel candy corns into their cousin Courtney's basket.

Tactic #2: pretend like we don't see the eggs and maybe just let them think at Easter we find wood chips instead of hidden candy-filled eggs.

So we learn the art of balancing at Easter: while most of the year is full of Quinoa pasta and dried pineapple slices, there will be days full of sugar and fun. And that's ok. Their livers can detox yellow #5 and Cadbury Eggs. Plus, a little sugar is yummy for a kid.

Another lesson in balancing life: a small kitten.

Despite the Poop Clean Up in Aisle Laundry Room, the look on Shiloh's face when our cat, Ree comes in the room is priceless.

The look on Ree's face when Shiloh goes in for the kill is especially priceless.

Having a cat adds to the seemingly endless responsibilities as a mother: cooking three square meals a day plus numerous snacks, cleaning everything but the baseboards, putting away laundry that is never done, and raising two small kids, but when I look back on the "Should We Get This Cat Or Not" decision, it added a small amount to the Work Load--

--but a large amount to the Joy Load.

And that's a good balance.

We do a little bit of school at home and there are times when I think, "Is the energy I put into teaching her these things worth it? Am I off balance in even trying to expose her to this stuff??" Especially when I ask Canaan at dinner, "Tell your dad what letter we learned today!" (Silence.) "It sounds like p p p p..." (Nothing.) "We ate popcorn..." (And here it comes, "Remember when we saw that llama on my birthday last year? It was so weird.") While she may not be able to recite her letters or numbers or colors or periodic table yet, it's ok. Because I think we've provided a good balance of great experiences (however weird that llama really was) and the opportunity for her brain to grow in other ways (like drawing this little person crossing the broken bridge we were on that morning).

Or to choreograph a dance to Chris Brown with her dad.

Canaan literally learns the art of balancing in a tree at Piedmont Park with her Grandpa.

Shiloh learns how to balance precariously on the railing of the bridge.

While Tim and I learn the balance of marriage, kids, jobs, church, friends, and family every day.

Sometimes that balance isn't a 50/50 split, but rather providing spurts of quality time here and there.

And it makes everyone happy!

However, there are times when "Quality Time" seems to have failed miserably.

Like our visit to the Shriner's Circus.

Under the barrage of elephants and cotton candy and motorcyclists, lay the constant threat of clowns.

Canaan told us, "I don't think I like those clowns."

Shiloh shared in that apprehension. Not only were they clowns, but they were also the type of clowns that didn't quite make it to "The Big Top" of Ringling Brothers. Instead, these guys were the crowning glory of "Dollar Night: Also Known As Adult Group Home Night and Teenage Mom Night."

But quality time in this instance was focused around quality friends, not necessarily the quality of the death-defying feats preformed on a tight wire located nine heart-stopping feet above ground.

Quality friends who were especially cute, like Moses Bardin.

Or life time friends like Joy and Gracie Bardin, who also shared in the healthy fear of those clowns. All except Mr. Greg, who embraced those clowns.

I also find myself balancing "moo-vie" time (with favorites like Sleeping Beauty or Ariel topping the charts) and exercise time (like jumping on our trampoline).

Shiloh is up for anything.

Canaan tends to go into the "Brain Shutdown Mode" at which point it's like falling in love with your kidnapper: I think, "GREAT! I can check some emails and facebook and hulu..." but at the same time I'm thinking, "Oh no. Brain power oozing away..."

Then I think, "But if it's educational, surely that counts a little more?"

Like when we got up at 5:30, dressed in wedding attire, had tea and scones to watch the Royal Wedding.

Aunt Sarah was in her British Attire while Nana provided crowns. That was three hours of educational experience.

So TV and movies are another factor I'm constantly balancing. But I err on the side of "of course!" when David Beckham and Kate's Dress are involved.

A final balancing act: do I pursue a career where I'm maybe climbing the corporate ladder or becoming involved with an awesome ministry like North Point? Or do I stay at home with the girls until they get to school? Or can I do both??

Questions whose answers will probably keep changing throughout the years.

Like our good ole' boys, The Braves.

Do we keep holding out for another World Series like in the Glory Days of 95? Or do we resign ourselves to the fact that we mostly attend the games in hopes of seeing a drunken brawl or catch a foul ball?

While the end results may be unclear, at least we can live a balanced life where the day-to-day experiences are adding value to our marriage, our kids, our friends and family, and especially to God.

Because even God loves cotton candy. Probably.

And when I think of all the plugging away at laundry and groceries and letters and numbers and poopy diapers, there are times like in this video when I think, "This is a GREAT balance. It's totally worth it!!"

Shiloh Goes to the Beach

2011-04-12T12:14:00.000-07:00

We begin our beach trip to St. Simon's with the rental of a 15 passenger van. I have always dismissed a 15 passenger van on the grounds of overwhelming lameness, but when one baby, one two-year old, one tweenager, five adults, 87 bags, one crab trap, and every beach accessory imaginable needs to go somewhere, only the church van will do.

To commemorate Shiloh's first beach experience, we drop the bags off at the hotel, then quick head to the beach. And by "quick" I mean two hours worth of changing, lathering, packing, spanking, crying, and then videoing.

Shiloh's first beach experience, "Not bad," she decides. "I could use a little sun on my upper thighs, anyway."

The next day we shop. Here, Nana rejoices in the fact that finally the women are outnumbering the men in the Goodwin Family. Since living with three boys and a husband for so long, the estrogen is making a comeback. Our motto this trip, "Uterus' Unite!"

Canaan's motto this trip, "Is this Disney World?" "No, this is just a giant umbrella at St. Simon's."

Disney World: it begs the question of When Is The Right Age Where They'll Remember The Trip Of A Lifetime Yet Still Believe Mickey Is A Real Mouse? And what about Shiloh? Do we bring her, knowing that she'll sleep during the parade and cry during the pictures with The Characters? If we left her with grandparents, is it fair that for Shiloh's whole life she'll have been to Disney World one less time than Canaan? Is Fairness really something to be achieved as a parent??

Should I be constantly tallying up the score, "Canaan got her face painted as a pink fairy, it's only fitting that Shiloh should get her face painted as a purple fairy"?

Shiloh just got two new bathing suits, now to the consignment store to find two new bathing suits for Canaan? A picture of Shiloh, now for the picture of Canaan? Canaan's 6 month picture in the hall, now Shiloh's 6 month picture in the hall?

Is fairness really attainable?

Fairness: since I elected to stay in the van while Shiloh slept for 40 minutes, then YOU get to watch the kids while I lay out on the beach for 40 minutes.

Sounds promising, but who could keep up with that endless score board?

So we decided that the Fairness Motto will be: Fairness Ended in the Garden of Eden. We don't do Fair. We do What's Right.

And right now, Canaan, you'll get another spanking if you throw sand at Shiloh again.

Because Shiloh already has a whole bucket of sand, just waiting to be eaten.

While we did have to manage the occasional sand incident, mostly Canaan loved to show Shiloh everything beach, "LOOK Shiloh! Sand/Water/Shovel/Gum/Dead Crab/Jelly Fish Tentacle!!!!"

Canaan's first time at the beach consisted of what we called "Sand Shooters"--handfuls of sand that made it to the mouth quicker than you could possibly encourage them to think twice about the ramifications of what they're about to do.

Shiloh preferred the "Social Sand Eater" method--occasionally a sand particle or two made it to the mouth, but mostly the sand just hovered around, making it's appearance and causing everyone to think you really know what you're doing when actually, you're still figuring out how to inhale/get the sand off your hands.

Here, the girls discuss various methods for sand consumption, the latest read: Water for Elephants, as well as whose elbow dimple is more pronounced.

Shiloh's favorite part of the beach: playing in the sand. Canaan's favorite part: "The Jelly Fish. You have to be careful so they don't sting you," she advised every passer by as we would sit poking the numerous washed up jelly fishes.

At the end of a day at the beach, the girls loved to snuggle, reading books or watching Blue's Clues. While the rest of us went out for margaritas. Just kidding. Not really.

The guys did enjoy their occasional drink on the beach. By "occasional" I also mean "After this Miller, could you mix me another Painkiller?"

Pictured here: Josh, Dad, Kevin, and Tim, the Goodwin men.

Tim, never too manly to teach his daughter how to fly her Ariel the Little Mermaid kite. He's a good dad. And good-looking.

Nana and Pop-pop proudly hold their two youngest granddaughters before we head to dinner on the pier.

Canaan proudly explaining to her sister how a "Croc-a-la-tor" couldn't possibly crawl through the marshy undergrowth, across what seems to be an actual crocodile/alligator nest, up to the picnic benches to eat us because I have this purple flower to keep them away.

See, that pile of fish heads over there actually deters croc-a-la-tors from coming up here!

Shiloh: "It all makes perfect sense!"

To conclude a fabulous beach trip, the Goodwin's assemble for a family portrait, to replace the one taken years ago when Tim and I were collectively 120 pounds porkier, Courtney was 5, Shiloh and Canaan were simply a twinkle in our fat eyeballs, Sarah still lived with her parent's, and everyone's hair styles screamed, "Help! I've time-traveled from the early 90's!"

This one will now have a permanent place on the wall.

And so will this one: Shiloh's smiley face and Canaan's deliberating her next move to get to Disney World finally.

Or maybe this one: the love between sisters!

Or this family picture: "Are we looking at the camera or are our eyes actually closed?"

This one will definataley make the wall: a tribute to women and the jeans that make them the sassy women they are!

Or maybe this picture of two little pairs of feet that will never be that small again, so enjoy every moment.

Or perhaps I should just put this picture on my bathroom mirror, summing up the life lessons of our Beach Trip: while it would be nice if life was perfectly fair, and I equally divided my time amongst my children and husband, and the pictures of child #1 were exactly the same amount as child #2, and we went to Disney 7 times with each child, and I had 40 minutes of read a book on the beach time and Tim had 40 minutes of throw a football on the beach time, unfortunatley, Fairness Ended In The Garden of Eden. Instead, I'll simply focus on doing what is right. And if my 2 year old finds the sticker box while I'm trying to do some laundry, the right thing to do is just tell her, "Wow! That is one cool sticker leg!!"

The Benefits of Having a Sister

2011-03-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

A sister is a blessing in disguise. During the small years, they're the one who you share a room and all your toys with. During the older years, they're the one you share clothes and your chicken pie recipe with. I love my sister, Beth, and I am so thankful my girls have someone to share life with.

Benefit of having a sister: during the monthly zoo trip (thanks, Nana and PopPop for the annual pass), a sister is the one who says, "Quick! What's that flamingo doing???!?" while your mother is trying to take a cute picture.

She's also the one who suggests, "Yeah, Dad. Take this picture. Shiloh looks REAL perky."

Sisters are there for each other during the mandatory face-in-the-animal-shot.

They're there to share hand sanitizer after petting the goats.

A sister will go to the Atlanta Ballet wearing a matching outfit with you. Even when you're 27.

She'll also dare you to climb up that 19 foot wire fence in the parking garage. Then laugh a little when it ends up only being about a foot and a half.

A sister will honestly tell you if that smile where your tongue sticks out is good looking or not.

"That's better."

Sisters are there to remind each other that it's their parent's birthday. Their 30th none-the-less. And to donate to their Charity: Water dig a well thing.

A sister is there to listen to your story of going to the puppet show and trying to get a picture with your best guy friend but he was really upset about sitting on Pinocchio's giant shoe or something so it ended up both of you looked a little awkward.

A sister grabs your hair while deep in the throes of a wrestling match but then starts laughing about it cause while she was pulling your hair, you were actually pinching her toe.

A sister teaches you the fine art of coloring with 12 crayons at once.

A sister is also there to hold Mom's coffee while she's settling into her seat on the plane to Minnesota to go to Great-Grandma's funeral, who, in the end, claimed that her stuffed dog was real and was amazed that he could eat so much for only "half a dog."

While thier Great-Grandma was a fantastic woman (and a real character), the girls appreciated the relationship of sisters while in the negative 7 degree weather of Minnesota. Cousins Alexa (red jacket), Mattie (blue jacket), and Lainey (green jacket). Sisters help each other get dressed for the snow, "Prepare for the Ice Age!" Canaan told us, appropriately.

Sisters pull each other across the frozen tundra of Star Lake. Eight more miles to the fish house.

Sisters also feed each other yellow snow, claiming it's only the light reflecting off your floral jacket.

Sisters tell each other how beautiful they are in their tutus and black sequins and feather boas. And slobber chins.

Sisters watch the sunset together.

Sisters will back you up when you tell your Grammy, "I promise you can barely see the PVC pipe jutting out of the side of the house. It kind of blends in."

Sisters will take the picture of their mother and Grammy (Maureen's favorite aunt-who's-like-her-mother) and say, "Mom, don't tuck that shirt in again. Grammy, nice hip action."

Sisters are the ones who look at their parent's pictures from the bed-n-breakfast they went to upon returning from Minnesota and say, "First of all, is Dad throwing up a gang sign? Secondly, who is taking this picture of Mom running on the dock?" The answer to these questions is: the camera was on a shorter timed delay than we had anticipated.

Here is the picture we meant to take.

Sisters go to their dad's 1/2 marathon and cheer him on while he runs a 7.14 mile and ends up being 4th/80 in his age division.

Sisters will hold up their "Go Daddy Go!" sign with Nana and cheer and yell even though it's raining and cold but that doesn't even matter because when asked, "Who are you going to marry when you grow up?" the answer is always, "Daddy."

We'll wait until they're older before telling them that Daddy's already taken.

Sisters will be honest with each other, "I swear to you that volcanoes are made of pink lava. I've seen it before."

A sister will let you borrow their best prom dress. Even if you're planning on digging a hole in the backyard with it on.

A sister will make you smile when you have to take the naked-fairy-picture-for-the-dining-room-photo-collection picture.

They even tell you that they "lub you."

That may not stop them from taking your wings to try them on for size.

But, like most little girls, the drama between sisters doesn't last long. Then the smiles and the love is back in full swing.

And one of the best things about a sister is not only are they your built-in-best-friend, but only she can make you laugh so hard you pee. But that doesn't even matter to a sister cause she just peed in the tub, too.

Holidays with Two Little Girls

2011-01-10T10:22:00.000-08:00

During these holidays, the Goodwin Girls learned the valuable art of sharing.

First lesson, when there are two girls two years apart, everything will be shared--beginning with Blankie and ending with prom dresses.

Shiloh was dedicated in November, and so Tim and I learned about sharing her with God. Makes me less nervous when I know the Guy Who Made Everything is in charge of brain development regardless of how much Omega 3-6-9 I had when I was pregnant or the husband she'll marry someday whether or not I need to "arrange" those things now or later, etc.

Shiloh was wearing her great-great-grandmother's christening gown. Thanks, Nida Hazel Clodfelter Brown, for sharing that relic.

Canaan sporting her gymnastics ability on the uneven bars. She'll soon learn to share the Olympic Gold with Nastia Liukin.

Grandpa's 60th birthday! Not only did we share the fabulous cake, but Canaan and Grandpa also share an uncanny squinty, side-smiling grin. Who knows what they're looking at. Or Shiloh, for that matter.

In November, we took the girls to Berry for our college friend's wedding. Here, a classic look of Shiloh's--content, chicken-fuzz-hairdo, Cheeks McGee, and simply happy.

Canaan's classic two year old look--mischievous, silly, What-Did-You-Just-Put-In-Your-Mouth, wild at heart kind of look.

And Thanksgiving arrives! Matching and monogrammed dresses, pictures at the Mountain House where we spent Thanksgiving Take 1, and the girls are learning to share bows.

At the Goodwin's for Thanksgiving Take 3 (Take 2 was spent at the Pitt's side of the family). We all learn about the Original Shared Feast between the Pilgrims and Indians. Canaan, who is convinced Tiger Lily (from Peter Pan) was actually at the Thanksgiving feast, has now decided that will be her Halloween 2011 Costume.

Shiloh learns about sharing kisses--because who can resist those Cheeks McGee?

Christmas arrives! We begin the season by decorating the house--Canaan helps set up the Nativity scene and soon learns the importance of sharing Jesus with the world. Naked, of course.

We get our Christmas Tree at a real farm with real horses and real hack-saws and real trees in the ground.

Pop-pop and Daddy share the burden of lugging the newly-chopped tree back to the homestead while Canaan brings up the rear.

Shiloh is thrilled with the prospect of having a real tree in our house! Yeah for Christmas!!

Canaan and Shiloh share the lap of the Santa with the real beard! I was planning on waiting in line for two hours while the girls had on matching monogrammed Christmas dresses to take pictures with the Santa with the really real beard, but Tim over-rode that decision for this Santa--free pictures and no line. At least they were both wearing matching bows.

Shiloh on the reindeer.

A valuable lesson mother learned this Christmas Season: to share the responsibility of decorating our beloved Tree. Here, Canaan demonstrates the art of Feng Shui using a small tree, 97 sparkly snowflakes, three large holly balls, and one extremely heavy jingle bell. Amazingly accomplished while in her Little Bo Peep Outfit.

Canaan and Shiloh learn the art of Cookie Making for the upcoming cookie swap we hosted at our house. Shiloh is directing the flow of things while Canaan is busy, "Eat the dough, smash the dough, eat the sugar, spill the sugar, eat the dough, smash the dough, eat the sugar..."

I learned how to share a special tradition with my girls--a tradition we'd do every Christmas since I was little. Making Peanut Blossoms with my Aunt Beth and sister and cousins. And now, Canaan demonstrates how to prepare the dough for baking.

The Cookie Swap: featuring such friends as Andre Clark and Mackenzie Thornton, among many others. We made snow, decorated cookies, ate cookies, ate pizza, and ran amok in the back yard! We continue to learn how fun it is to share life with each other.

After the party, girl drama. Canaan not happy with ________ and Shiloh about to fall asleep at the wheel in her Bumpo seat.

We experience our share of drama in the Goodwin Household.

And Shiloh's asleep. If only the laundry would wash and fold itself, the food would cook itself, Canaan could wipe herself, and the dirt would sweep itself, I could hold Shiloh all day.

During Christmas Part One at the Mountain House with the Trane's, Canaan practices sharing her seven-inch sandwich with Grandpa.

Each Christmas, we've been video taping the kids singing "Away in a Manger" (really, just this year you can actually make out the words. And just this year we went to "kids" plural.). In the following video, you'll see how Canaan shares her love with her sister, as well as slobber and whip-lash.

At the Christmas Eve service, we shared candles with a thousand other people at our awesome church, Watermarke, located off Sixes Road in Canton, services at 9:30 and 11:15. (A shameless plug for our church.)

Shiloh is elated at the prospect of having her very first CHRISTMAS EVE!! Delicious food is on the table, Christmas attire is donned, the tree is laden with presents, and Santa is on the way!

And the family portrait is taken! Canaan, eyes closed, hands clasped in excitement, Shiloh dazed at the amount of pictures being flashed...

...this was supposed to be the "Everyone kiss Shiloh" picture, but Canaan decided to kiss her Dad's shoulder blade instead. That's sweet.

Another sweet picture of "Unka John" and the girls! We shared Christmas Eve with him this year--and good thing, too. The 492 piece, two-hour minimum assembly time kitchen was tackled by my engineer brother. Thanks, John.

And the moment we've all been waiting for...the cookies baked for Santa, the carrot crisp for the reindeer, Canaan's lips coated in chocolate, Shiloh hanging on for dear life...it's Christmas Eve.

Christmas Morning 2010, shared with our friends and family on video!

Shiloh rips into her gift, ready to share the spoils of Christmas with her sister.

Canaan, masking her enthusisam at recieving the final piece of her Bitty Baby Nursery--the long awaited for Changing Table! Thanks Grammy!!!

Shiloh, not masking her enthusiasm at recieving a barrage of baby toys!

And in January, we were all pleasently surprised to share a week of snowed-in fun! Ariel the Little Mermaid, of course, shared in the winter activities...

...eating snow (snow tastes best when you slip into a tutu first)...

...taking pictures (my favorite: the obligatory "Everyone-Get-In-The-Picture" picture, regardless of the 5 month old's desire to take a picture, laying helpless and immobile on the snow. Nevertheless, we got the Snow Angel picture.)

And we all loved Daddy's ability to share in a week's worth of adventure! Thanks, Goodwin Investment Advisory! We love that CEO!

Like all Georgians, we had to sled down our "hills" using whatever the Good Lord provided in our garage or back yard. The sand box top worked for us.

Check out the sledding video in the next blog (Blogspot couldn't handle all the megabytes or whatever, so we had to load some video on a seperate blog.)

Finally, our holidays wrap up with a little late-night cooking, clad only in a towel, Canaan shares her culinary masterpieces with the family. Cookie icing for us...

...and broccoli for Shiloh. On Shiloh's five month anniversary, January 7, we feed her Real Food for the first time--broccoli. She loves it. The video in the next blog chronicles our super-parenting skills in feeding our child broccoli for her first food.

Shiloh, with all her loving heart, has learned the valuable lesson of sharing during the holiday season. She shares the broccoli with us, Tim's shirt, her chin, and later, out the sides of her diaper.

Life is more fun when you share it with your kids and each other, regardless of the mess or the plans that don't go according to what you thought it'd look like. God has a lot to share with us and we learn it best through our kids.

Busy Girls!

2010-11-23T13:02:00.000-08:00

Life with two girls becomes busy quickly. In this picture, Canaan is busy watching for the "plane show"--every plane with a smoke trail she sees shooting across the sky happens to also be a plane show, like the one we saw months and months ago. So living within 20 miles of Dobbins airport keeps her busy.

Shiloh, at two months in this picture, is busy looking at Canaan. And because Canaan is constantly busy, just watching her busy-ness will wear you out.

Thus the reason for sleeping much of the day. It could also be that the rate of hair-growth wears a sister out. Look at that chicken fuzz hair!

So what does a parent of two children do to expend energy? Harness your two year old to a bungee cord, dangling her over a trampoline. Solving two issues: 1.) She can jump her little heart out and have expended enough energy to be ready to walk and enjoy the rest of the fair without us having to give chase through crowds of thousands saying, "STOP! Stop running right now! Come back!!! No more rides for you, young lady, if you don't get BACK HERE!!!" 2.) Daddy, Shiloh, and I can go get a funnel cake or a cup of coffee or something and relax for about 20 minutes since she can't really go anywhere.

A two year old can also get the busy-ness out by playing with other two year olds! Here, Canaan is enjoying Mountain Day at Berry College with old neighbor, Caroline Swafford.

Here, Shiloh is enjoying floor-time with her friend Isabella Lyle, three weeks older. The energy of a two year old and the energy of a two month old varies in intensity--these girls are extremely busy at bone-growth, working on double chins, keeping the bow positioned properly, etc.

And for a lot of busy-ness, we go to the girls' favorite friend's, the Clark's!! Andre, busy looking for pirates in his toilet-paper-tube-binoculars, Selah busy eating a condiment of some sort, Shiloh busy eating her hand, Canaan busy thinking about jumping up and "freaking out" after the picture is taken. Which she has told me while jumping frantically on the bed, "Mom, I'm freaking out!!!" I'd freak out too if I had that much energy coursing through my veins.

Another plane show--and a freak-out session by little sister. For all Shiloh's laid-backness, when she does get agitated and starts screaming, it's so intense it makes me think every time, "It must be her appendix that's ruptured. Surely a poopy diaper isn't this bad."

And another picture with the girls! We're always busy trying to capture sweet memories--like Canaan and Shiloh trying to make the same squinty-eyed, awkward-smiley face.

Amidst the busyness of our lives, Tim and I do still have date nights and conversations that don't consist of singing "To-MORROW, to-MORROW, I LOVE YA, to-MORROW". While they're fewer than the days Before Kids, we appreciate them even more. Just like we appreciated all the wine we drunk after visiting this vineyard.

With Halloween comes the annual Picking-Of-The-Pumpkin. Here, Canaan is "holding" Shiloh while Shiloh is desperately trying not to slip into the scratchy hay underneath.

Afterwards, we get busy carving those pumpkins. And not your typical smiley-face pumpkin, but a really unique one, which Tim is ever so excited about "carving what into that little pumpkin?"

Shiloh is excited about her first pumpkin-carving experience. She's busy holding the tiny pumpkin for us while we get to the other ones.

Canaan is busy scooping out the "pun-kin guts", having to resort to scooping-blind since the pumpkin guts have sealed her eyes shut, her hair to her forehead, and her shirt orange-stained forever.

Shiloh is much cleaner and much more efficient. The only casualty here was a stray seed.

Alas, the pumpkin of Halloween 2010 is finished. Shiloh is mesmerized, Canaan is ready to spring back into action as soon as the picture is finished, and the Pumpkin Guy is posed to welcome the three trick-or-treaters we get since we're miles away from the entrance to our neighborhood and technically in "The Bridgemill Ghetto."

In preparation for Halloween, Canaan's cousin Courtney teaches her a classic Halloween dance: Thriller.

For Halloween, Canaan and Shiloh matched (of course) and were monogrammed (in case someone forgot their names). They were "Pink and Green Tinkerbell."

After much deliberation, we chose Tinkerbell since tu-tus are really cute, who doesn't love to wear wings, fairies make for darling pictures, I already bought the stuff by the time Canaan changed her mind and wanted to be Tiger Lilly instead, and ultimately, I'm the boss around here.

Shiloh, an extremely happy and content baby,

was okay with being green Tinkerbell. Really, she's okay with anything right now. Actually, she's not okay with Canaan trying to "nurse" her or with Canaan trying to get her Uncle Michael to "nurse" her. Other than that, she's okay with everything else.

Not being as busy as her sister, Shiloh sleeps through most of Halloween, content to let her good friend, Selah the Elephant fill her in on the action she missed while sleeping in Dad's arms.

Some of that action included a sword fight between Captain Feathersword and Red Power Ranger. Canaan was busy simply eating all her Halloween candy, knowing it'd be a full year before she ate a Butterfinger again.

After trick-or-treating with Andre and Friends on Saturday, we trick-or-treated in our neighborhood on Sunday. In this video, Canaan is busy trying to tell us what is special about this day while thinking, "How fast can I run from one house to the next while still keeping my hair in this cute bun?" Shiloh is busy thinking, "I love my mom. I love food. I love clean diapers. I love my mom. I love sleep. I love my mom."

And since Halloween was a month ago, I've included this clip of Canaan's most recent two-year-old busy-ness. Her doll, Annie, got the brunt of that busy-ness when Canaan found a ball point pen.

And because God knows how much busy-ness a parent can handle, He gave Shiloh to us: sweet, happy, chilled-out Shiloh. Here she is at three and a half months old!

Life is certainly busy with little ones, but we keep reminding ourselves, they're only this little for a short time and enjoy those little blessings while we have them!!

Shiloh Elizabeth

2010-09-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

October 1, 2010

Finally, the wait is over! Shiloh Elizabeth Goodwin arrived on August 7, 2010 at 8:08pm after 5 miraculous minutes of pushing...Praise the Lord. In this picture, Canaan meets the long-awaited Shiloh for the first time! "At last. All the preparation of changing Annie's (her Bitty Baby's) diapers and clothes and using up all 126 wipes in the container was worth it. The REAL baby is here."

And now, Canaan is even more prepared...she knows how to "nurse" her baby (which we hope she never does in public) and still uses all 126 wipes in a matter of minutes (which is why many of the wipe dispensers don't actually dispense wipes--they're shoved full of crunched-up and "used" wipes, thanks to Canaan trying to "wipe Annie's poop.")

Family picture #1 of zillions. Peanutty Shiloh weighed in at 6.1, 19 in. Mama weighed in at 297 lbs. Just kidding. Not really.

All those extra pounds and contractions and decreased bladder size: well worth it.

Shiloh's first bath experience: slightly successful. Her hair did get washed (her hair is now growing in blond so it looks like a bad dye-job--light roots, dark tips), the umbilical cord did get wet (and no infection ensued--she now has a normal belly button), her lungs did get a work out (we had forgotten the amount of screaming involved with an infant), Canaan did try to pour water on her face (it's a wonder the 2nd child survives infancy), and we were successfully launched back into infant-hood ("Yes," we remind ourselves, "it's worth it.")

It seems as though your brain conveniently "forgets" the early months of having an infant. I imagine it's so that the human race doesn't just die off because everyone only has one kid.

While it takes some re-adjusting, moments like these make it worth it--big sister holding her little sister, smiling while she imagines, "What would my mother do if I just plucked this button right off Shiloh's dress then quickly popped it into my mouth so she'd have to finger sweep it out while trying to take this cutie picture and supporting the baby's head all at the same time?"

This sweet little face makes it all worth it when it's 4:30 in the morning and we're thinking, "14th day of sleep-torture: fall asleep for 15 minutes, then wake up to yelling baby. Rock the baby. Fall asleep for 15 minutes, then wake up to yelling baby. Change the baby. Fall asleep for 15 minutes, then wake up to yelling baby. Feed the baby..." We are now sleep-torture pros, bring it on Commies--we won't tell you nothin'.

While Canaan came out of the womb as "Miss Independence and full of business," Shiloh came out "Miss Congeniality and full of snuggling." Maybe it's the Second-Child-Phenomenon: I could hold her all day, knowing that this tiny stage doesn't last long, so I have to eat it up while I still can. It's worth it to slow down and enjoy this.

Here, Shiloh's looking at Moses Bardin thinking, "The man's working on two wrists while I've barely got forearm fat. But he sure is cute."

Here, we tried to trick Canaan, "Where's the real baby?"

While a favorite expression in our house is, "Woah!! Gently _____ Shiloh." Fill in the blank with "touch," "kiss," "play with," "place your Barbie next to," "move the firetruck away from," "remove Annie's bottle from". Canaan does love her sister.

Shiloh's first visit to the Mountain House was met with the whole family: Luke and Beth (my sister and her husband), Tim and I (and little muffin-head-Shiloh), Grandpa and Grandma, "Unka John" and Canaan.

While at the Mountain House, we visited a little shop where Tim found his first purchase in preparation of having two beautiful little girls. A pink shotgun. Pump-action. With an orange nozzle.

To welcome Shiloh into the world of ladies and tea, best friends Cassie, Amy, and Bonnie gave us a "Sip-n-See"--the epitome of Southern Tradition, complete with cute dresses, big bows, monogrammed gifts, cucumber sandwiches, and sweet tea.

The ladies! Our house is officially chock-full of estrogen. Poor Tim.

And with estrogen comes gymnastics--including a leotard with panties sticking out. This is first of many girl-things: cheerleading, dance class, tu-tu's, prom dresses, manis, sensible pairs of shoes, boyfriends, and drama.

But girls are worth it!

Proud grandparents: Grammy (my Aunt Beth from Minnesota who stayed for two weeks--I'm thinking of hiring her as our live-in-nanny), Grandpa (my dad), and Grandma (my step-mom). Shiloh thinking, "Will my head ever grow to be as big as Grandpa's hand?"

Cousin Courtney at the lake. And lots of pink.

Our friends, Lindsey and Justin Neal's "little" boy, Alexander. How could a sister not feel safe with a big burly guy next to you, while laying on a fluffy giraffe, surrounded by every doll and stuffed animal imaginable?

The following video chronicles the love between sisters: from giving a false name to protect her identity ("No, sir. My sister won't go on a date with you. Besides, you have the wrong girl. Her name is...uh...um..."), to fibbing about her real age ("Of course we're still 37. This is our 10th anniversary of being 37."), to giving take-your-breath-away-snuggly-hugs. This is REAL love!

And what decent Georgia Fan would let the season pass by without dressing the girls up in cheerleading uniforms and taking lots of pictures? Not this one. Canaan telling her sister, "Just buck up, lady. We all have to wear bows around here and heaven forbid if you spill sauce on your uniform." Shiloh's look of resignation to this fact.

Canaan's look of astonishment at the poor season thus far.

And Daddy's look of peace, "Parenthood? It's worth it."

She's Getting Ready to Be a Big Sister

2010-07-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

For months we've been preparing Canaan for the arrival of her baby sister (who should be here, Lord Willing, in the next one or two weeks!!! PLEASE Lord!) Canaan, who is absolutely infatuated with dolls and doll accessories, has been thrilled out of her mind. In fact, the motto around our house is, "No doll left behind." Poor Tim...the oldest of three boys. Sometimes he's so lost in the world of dolls that all he can do is change Annie's outfit for the 17th time and then say, "Oh, this one looks great."

Canaan's been busy preparing for the arrival of a new baby at our house. First, she intends to have a conversation with everyone who's attention may shift slightly when a new baby arrives, "G-pop, just to let you know, I've always loved you the best. In fact, I want you to have this small soccer ball as a token of my affection."

Tim and I constantly assure her of our undying love for her. For Father's Day we went to the lake for a little BBQ and swimming. Canaan is thinking, "Next year, I can bury my sister in the sand! This will be GREAT!"

At Andre's birthday party, Canaan has a heart-to-heart, "Andre, love of my life, soon there will be changes. It may involve a younger woman, but I want you to know that I will always be here for you. Here to wipe the icing off your face when you get an icing-mustache."

She's confident that Andre couldn't resist a face like this. Or icing this flavor.

We realize there may be sibling rivalry, but we hope to foster an environment of unconditional love for each other. Canaan practices her "unconditional love" game face with good friend, Ava Harrison. "While my sister may be screaming her eyeballs out, I will still love that little squirt-ball and smile for the camera. No matter what."

We've been telling her that she'll have to teach her little sister many things. Like swimming--here Canaan is at her first day of swim lessons. "Baby sister, you'll first learn that while our parents may look like they won't drop you in the deep end (128 foot, I might add), they won't hesitate to throw you off the diving board, in the hopes that you re-surface after 15 minutes of being under water and clap for you as you desperately try to swim to the side, gasping for breath all along."

Lesson number two: we paint a lot around here. Paper, hands, faces, noses. We'll paint you in a heart-beat--as soon as you get out of that belly.

Canaan looks forward to teaching her sister about wildlife. "Don't get too close to the ducks at Piedmont Park. You just can't trust a duck that lives in bright green water."

Another lesson about wildlife, let Barbie touch the turtle first, just to see if it's really as safe as Daddy claims it is.

Canaan is excited about teaching baby sister a dance move or two. "The important thing to remember is to give everyone a chance to show their stuff--Annie, Hayden, George, Pokey, the whole crew. Then, we'll work on choreographing a dance to Josh Turner's new song."

And since we're working on potty-training, (day 11 and only one accident today--on the floor of the "Funky Monkey", will that be the last accident? Not sure...never did this before) why not being teaching all her dolls? It's good practice for when Canaan will be potty-training her sister because after this, her mother has thrown in the towel with potty-training. Tired of lugging the green potty in the back of the Highlander and pulling over whenever Canaan yells, "I HAVE TO POOP!" I'm hoping Canaan will teach our other children how to go on the potty: sit down, read a book, etc. etc. etc.

Canaan will also be quick to teach her little sister about kissing: "Affection: Occasionally I enjoy being hugged and kissed. I stress occasionally. I will not be pelted with wet-mouthed assaults on a n hourly basis. Should you feel the need to hug or kiss, you must provide me with a written request. And then wait for me to offer my pudgy cheeks." (Taken from Parent's magazine, July 09.) A perfect interpretation of Canaan's face at our "Sunflower Photo Shoot."

Canaan is really excited about the arrival of our new baby. We've read book after book, she talks to "baby sister" all the time, she hugs my belly, she kisses it, she offers her sippy cup to my belly button, I think she'll really love having her sister in her life. I love mine.

"Sisters: she is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink," (Barbara Alpert), sisters are special. I'm thankful God gave Canaan one!

Canaan Turns Two!

2010-07-23T11:43:00.001-07:00

Canaan turned two on June 26! As family tradition goes, Canaan awakes to find the living room loaded with presents! Like Santa only it's hot outside! She comes running towards the booty--or towards the cat (she's excited and running towards something).

Next, cake for breakfast! You may notice Canaan has an absurd amount of chocolate on her face--in the span of a year, her eating habits haven't gotten any cleaner. At what point does a mother worry that she doesn't use her fork or napkin? When's she's going on her first date at 16??

After a hearty breakfast of cake and blueberries, we head to Tanglewood Farms--a miniature farm that Canaan's been talking ever since. "A farm! Let's go to the farm, Mama," "Not today..." "A farm! Go to the farm, yeah?" "Maybe later..." It was at this farm that Canaan fed tiny goats and sheep and pet tiny pigs and mules. She loved it!

Amongst her experiences, riding a pony for the first time! Helmet donned, camera rolling, Canaan rides around the "rink" like a champ. Waving to her spectators, talking to the horse, thinking to herself, "Being two is a big responsibility. I've really got this thing covered now."

As Canaan looks back on that day (and asks us all the time to go back), I've said to her before, "Canaan, what was your favorite part about the farm?" She seriously thought for a second and told me (word for word), "NOT the llamas." You can see why the llamas wouldn't be any one's favorite. Or maybe we just caught them on a "bad shearing day."

Next on the Birthday Agenda: Chuck E. Cheese. Never having experienced it, we thought she should have a little pizza and "games" for her birthday. "Games" is in quotations because a two year old doesn't actually know that she's not controlling the car racing game, but is simply just sitting there while the demo is playing. She's still having a blast and we don't have to spend $38 on tokens! We're hoping she never catches on...

Finally, a week later, we have her birthday party, "Fourth of July Style" complete with sparklers (of which she received her first sparkler burn that day...an initiation of sorts into the Goodwin family, since fireworks are an integral part of every great Goodwin Party.) In case the sparklers got out of control, we did have the fire truck show up. Canaan is absolutely in love with firetrucks. A firetruck being one of the two "manly" toys in a house full of dolls and accessories. And she will race that thing around, stopping only to change Barbie's outfit.

Present at her birthday party, one of Canaan's favorite people in this world: Grandma. Grandma who is on speed-dial on Mama's phone so we can call her almost every day, "Hi Grandma. Sing the Moon Song!!" She'll say--a song that Grandma taught her during the week we were at the beach, a song that I apparently botch every time I sing it, and she quickly lets me know by shouting out, "NO--different song. Call Grandma," whenever I attempt to sing it for her. My feelings would be hurt, but I'm not ashamed to say I tend to be a little flat. Plus she's two. Plus it occupies her for about 7-8 minutes while we're dialing Grandma, waiting for Grandpa to answer, ask to speak to Grandma, ask how she's doing and then listen to Grandma's rendition of the "Moon Song" while on speaker phone. So, we're glad Grandma came to the party to sing "The Moon Song" live.

Also in attendance, Pop-pop, who never fails to give Canaan all the sugar she could possibly want. When we're at Nana and Pop-pop's house for dinner, she no longer asks me for juice (knowing that the only juice she has at our house is organic fresh-squeezed with no added sugar or preservatives, and that we're quick to say, "How about yummy water instead??") She'll ask Nana. And when we finish our three bites of dessert, she'll strategically go sit next to Pop-pop to ask him for "More cake/ice cream/blueberries/dessert, Pop-pop! Please!!" And Pop-pop can't resist.

That's why kids have grandparents--because life wouldn't be as much fun with a limited sugar-intake diet and no "Moon Song" sung properly.

Best friends, Gracie (left) and Joy (center) Bardin were there, too. With the arrival of the new baby sister, there will be four cutie little girls to take prom-dress shopping, and get manis together, and go to the American Girl Boutique, and pick out wedding flowers with. I save pictures like this in a folder on my computer titled, "Senior Picture Slide Show" for when they graduate.

At least I hope so.

Cousin Courtney also made her appearance. We're thankful for Courtney's "energetic nature" because now Canaan has someone who can really keep up with her and not have to have a stiff drink and watch a mindless TV show at the end of the day in the hopes that there will be enough energy tomorrow to start all over again. And by stiff drink, I mean Pregnancy Tea.

But that is the life of the parents of a "Spirited" two-year old. We love her to pieces, as much as we continue to pray that baby #2 will be the type of kid who enjoys sitting quietly in the car, while looking out the window and enjoying the talk-radio station her mother likes to listen to, or will just say, "Mom and Dad, you go ahead and have an adult conversation. I'll just read my book back here."

In this video, you can see what a typical car-ride with Canaan looks like: a song-request, a little negotiation as to which song that would be, and then a small amount of trickery to get Canaan to sing my favorite song, "Jesus Loves Me," of which she hits perfectly. Even with a cashew in her mouth.

She's Expressive

2010-06-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

June 1, 2010

As Canaan grows (she'll be two on June 26th!!), so does her expressive nature. Which makes itself known in all forms--her loud voice, her funny faces, her "boneless" tantrums, and the force of which she throws her toys across the room.

Our first example was when we took Canaan (and her cousin, Courtney) sailing for the first time. As picture here, Canaan's expression tells us, "Not only is this hat strangling me, but this boat does not look like a blast."

But after cruising around on the lake, taking a swim in the water, and helping her dad "steer", she decided that sailing was a blast after all. And that she should have worn that hat because the sun is pretty bright.

While preparing our garden this year, Canaan dons her "bug hat", gets her Elmo shovel, and helps till the garden. Specifically this squash plant. Expression: pure cuteness.

And after finding what seems to be a poopy-substance in the garden, Canaan's expression turns from "pure cuteness" to "I may be eating this shortly."

What would Spring Evenings be without a BBQ with friends? While sharing a meal with Gracie, Joy, and Marin, Canaan's expression reads: "No time for pictures, mother. We've got business to attend to. Got to spread more ketchup on my face while Gracie is makes more room in her mouth for corn."

With the warmth of Spring and Summer, the baby pool comes out. Complete with water slide. Canaan's expression in this picture, "Who would have imagined a two-and-a-half-foot-perilous-drop into 48 degree water would have been so much FUN?!?!"

We also took Canaan to her first Braves Game!! She had a cute shirt and a red bow to match. Here, Canaan is amazed at the size of the stadium, the amount of bratwursts being grilled, and the fact that the family made it through Atlanta traffic with an hour to spare!

Since Braves-Stadium-Rules-and-Regulations-Safeguarding-Against-Terrorist-Attacks-And/Or-Misuse-Of-A-Drink prevented us from bringing in our commemorative Coke bottle (saved for just such an occasion), we had to quick drink it right outside the gates. Canaan is busy concentrating on getting the very last sip since this is one of the few times she gets a soft drink. Expression: "And why wouldn't my parents let me drink more Coke? I'd be willing to give up the milk and water if that's what it takes. What health-sticklers."

"Now if my parents would let me drink water from a gushing water spigot every time, I'd be willing to reconsider the Coke issue."

In this picture, her turned back tells it all, "I'm far too busy pushing this baby around while in the tu-tu my mother made me to stop and take a picture. There are so many places to go with a stroller when you're naked." Sometimes, she listens to her parents, sometimes she doesn't.

In this video, we were lucky to catch the "sometime she listens" on video...singing the ABC's!

On Mother's Day, we played kick-ball with the Big Goodwin side of the family and then our little family went to Piedmont park for a picnic and kite-flying extravaganza. Here, before we headed off to play kick-ball (I might add that a 6-month-pregnant-woman can and will kick some butt at kick-ball), Canaan is expressively telling me that she is sick and tired of the dog trying to eat her rock.

The following video documents how Canaan's "sick and tired" expression will soon snowball into "the Boneless Effect" whereas she apparently looses all control of the bones in her body, rendering her "boneless" and on the floor. After which she will cry or yell or throw a toy until someone can talk her down--much like "The Negotiator", some of the day is spent talking her out of this "The World is Coming to an End" phase of the tantrum. I've documented it here.

Good thing we diverted the dog and Canaan's attention and Mother's Day was saved from any tantrums.

After kick-ball and resolving the dog and rock issue, we headed to Piedmont Park. There are many things to explore at a place like that: a tree...

...why our 8-inch by 8-inch kite won't actually fly...

..and finally, to answer the age-old question posed by every two-year old, "How loud can you actually yell while holding a small stick?" Answer: Very Loud.

Mother's Day 2010: fabulous.

And finally, to conclude the documentary on Canaan's expressive nature, we have a picture of Canaan and Andre in the pool, their faces conveying a message of pure confusion: "So, what you're trying to say is that we need to spread out a little more before we can start a game of Ultimate Frisbee Baby Pool Style?"

How I love Canaan's friends that both understand and share her expressive nature. Canaan's friends: we love you and pray for you!

She's a Very Determined Little Girl...

2010-03-31T17:50:00.000-07:00

Monday, April 5, 2010

Canaan is a very determined little girl. We are discovering that she always has a plan-of-action and if, for some reason, that plan doesn't play out like she had envisioned, she becomes quite frustrated. In which case we resort to a variety of parenting methods to calm the erupting storm.

For example, on Tim's birthday, our little family went bowling. Here, Canaan is pictured with a ball that is 3/4 her weight and three times as big as her head. That doesn't deter Canaan--she was determined to push that ball down the alley. So we let her discover that when we say, "Don't cross the foul line--it's really slippery," we mean it. And that's it worth it to listen to your parents who have had 29 years of bowling experience on her 1 year.

Canaan celebrated her second Valentine's Day at Mackenzie Thornton's party. Gracie and Joy Bardin were there and Canaan was determined to not only be in charge of the doll's hair straightener the entire party (seen in her left hand), but also eat Gracie's cookie even though I specifically gave her one cookie and said that was enough sugar (Gracie's cookie seen in her right hand, and Gracie still smiling like a champ behind her.)

And here we are smiling because we both know that we're secretly the boss when it comes to devising great plans and executing them.

Canaan celebrated Actual Valentine's Day at the Mountain house with Grandma and Bampa and Unka (Uncle John). She's in awe that her dad finally gave her a dog. She's thinking, "That's what I've been asking for this whole time and now I actually have one! A red one at that!!"

Plan to Get Dog: check.

Later, Grammy (from Minnesota) and Aunt Beth (my sister from North Carolina) came to visit with us! Here, Canaan is sporting the chef's outfit that her Aunt Beth gave her.

While helping me cook, Canaan becomes quickly determined/frustrated if she can't crack the real eggs into a bowl. So we've been working on the egg-cracking-and-not-just-crushing technique. The apron and hat and oven mitt are perfect for splatter control. Thanks, Aunt Beth!

And the snow in late winter. We played outside and much as I tried to deter her, Canaan was determined to sabotage our snowman. That's why we only had a snow-abdomen this year. Sometimes, when dealing with a determined 1 1/2 year old, it's easiest to let your best laid plans go to pot for the sake of the joy of smashing a snow man to pieces.

The leprechaun came to visit the Goodwin house on March 17th. While Canaan's plan was to find a pot of gold teeming with candy, cupcakes, and ice cream, she found instead an apple, raisins, and some piece of candy that her mother only let her eat a bite of before she threw it away. Canaan learned an important lesson here: sometimes the pot at the end of the rainbow is only filled with nutritious items and so just get used to that cause we don't eat a lot of sugar around here whether you throw yourself to the floor kicking and screaming or not.

But we do have to let her enjoy a cup cake every now and then. This is a look of pure bliss. Canaan thinking, "Yes. Hard work and determination can get you a cupcake every time." Mother thinking, "Enjoy this cupcake, sister, cause this is enough sugar for the next nine days."

This is a picture of Canaan's first day of "school"! Tim and I had to work for the day, so Canaan went to Nana's school (Messiah Christian Academy). Here she is with her lunchbox! Canaan already had her day planned out: "First, I'll eat my lunch. Then I'll eat a snack. Then I'll eat my friend's snack. Then I'll play with his toy. Then I'll eat more of his snack. Then I'll go home."

Canaan always has a plan.

And here she is executing that plan. Eating snack with her friend Sawyer Young! She was actually on her best behavior because instead of eating everyone else's snack, she tried to share her own snack! I was proud of that kid!!

My plan to teach her to share and unconditionally love others: check.

She was inspired by the arts-n-crafts at school, so we got out the paints later to create a masterpiece. Lesson learned: my plans of having her create a cute picture with perfectly laid hand prints all in coordinating colors just doesn't compare to the masterpiece she made with scribbly paint and fingers and a taste-test at the end. So, like God, my "plans" just don't compare to the bigger plans that often surprise us.

Speaking of surprises, Canaan has been the best one we've ever gotten!!

Back to the lessons learned by a our very determine little girl: while she may think she can pedal faster than our nine year old neighbor, she'll still need her Daddy's help for another year or two. Especially since her feet don't really touch the pedals yet.

At the Alpharetta Children's Festival, Canaan was determined to feed this llama not only all the food in her hand, but all the food in the container as well as handfuls of dirt she scooped from the ground. Canaan learned that day that you just can't boss a llama. Especially if you try to feed it dirt.

Speaking of bossing, I learned that I can't boss this blogger website because this is the ninth time I've tried to upload this picture of my pregnant belly at twenty weeks. And each time it loaded it sideways. Really weird. By the way, we're having a GIRL!!!!

Canaan will be happy to have a sister. Here, she's pictured with her friend Ava Harrison at the playground. She looks forward to having a sister that she can "teach lessons to." Much like her mother continually tries to teach her lessons--like "Look at the camera and smile!! PLEASE just look over here and smile! See how Ava smiles at me??? Can you do that? Look at me!!! HEY!!"

This is the picture of determination--"I'll either look at you and not smile, or I'll look at the swings and smile. Your choice, mama."

And another picture of determination: nearly every night after she gets out of the bath tub, Canaan is determined to put her boots on and pour herself a little tea from her tea set. 90% of the time, I have to divert her attention to other activities like, "Look! Here's the lotion I have to put on you!" or "Hey!! Let's put your diaper on!!" or "Canaan! I've got these cutie PJs for you!!" or "Whoo hoo!! It's time to brush your hair!!!" Sometimes they work, other times I brush her hair with her boots on.

And another picture of pure determination: "I will find out, by jove, what is inside of this flower. Whether my mother is calling for me to smile and look at her or not."

And if after twenty minutes I have still not uncovered the mystery underneath these petals, I will continue to discover where the pistil is and how the pollen travels down that tube.

Easter! These are the fascinating eggs I've been talking about. Canaan is enamoured with eggs--eggs in a nest, checking eggs for cracks in the grocery store, cracking eggs into a bowl, sorting pretend eggs, and here she is getting the hard boiled eggs ready for coloring! Not only is she a determined little girl, but she is also very curious. A great attribute for a teacher's kid! "You like eggs? GREAT! I've got nineteen books on eggs and a diagram of an egg and a phonics game we can play with eggs and a great arts-n-craft project where we paint with eggs and..."

Here we are at Nana and Pop Pop's house with her cousin Courtney getting ready for the Easter Egg hunt! Not sure if Canaan thinks it's raining and has convinced Courtney to keep an eye out for rain clouds or what.

And here she is: "EGGS MAMA!! TONS of eggs!! And you would not believe this, but they are the SAME eggs I decorated last night!!!! Look everyone! Daddy--look! That egg I colored!!!!"

And of course, we did have a fantastic discussion on the resurrection of Jesus and how we wouldn't have Easter without Him. Tim and I are determined that she will know all about Jesus!!

Finally, a video capturing Canaan's determined spirit. Not only will she happily collect eggs, but she's going to inspect each one before she moves on to find the next 147 eggs in the backyard.

While Canaan's determination wears us out sometimes, we believe she'll grow into a successful young woman, breaking glass ceilings, wearing lipstick like a pit-bull, and bringing love, life, and the joy of the Lord into every relationship she has!!

A few wonderful days...

2009-11-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

(February 1, 2010)

We begin this extremely long blog by starting with Halloween. Of course, we have the annual pumpkin-carving on our kitchen table. Canaan is old enough this year to "help", after conquering her disgust of the pumpkin-guts, she dives in.

To celebrate Halloween this year, we decided to also celebrate the Georgia-Florida Game! So we load up the car with all our tailgating gear and trick-or-treating paraphernalia, and head to Florida. Canaan (thankfully) busies herself by catching up on the latest kid-gossip and coolest gear.

We make a stop at our good friends, Rich and Lela Jones' house--to eat spaghetti and hang out! Marin, as pictured here, has learned the fine art of eating spaghetti with minimal causalities, whereas Canaan is still practicing.

Next stop, the biggest Tail-gating Party in the South. Yes, Georgia Fans, Canaan knew how to say, "Gators wear jean shorts" (although it was a bit garbled, real fans knew what she was talking about.)

Then after explaining to Canaan that next year will be quite different seeing as how Tim Tebow will (finally) be gone and that we will really show those Gators how to play football, we left Gainesville to meet more friends, Jonathan and Jennifer Overholser and their new baby Joanna. It was there we dressed the girls up, Canaan sporting a lovely shade of red and black while delicately flitting around as a lady bug. Joanna was a peanut--last year Canaan was a roasted and salted peanut (with an orange bow) and this year Joanna was a cocktail peanut, in honor of the Big Game.

And here we are at 7:30, ready to trick-or-treat for 5-10 minutes, take a hay ride at the local church, and be home by 8:00 for a nice glass of wine. I only hope every Halloween will take 30 minutes. I'm sure when they're 12 or 13, they only want a few candy bars anyway, right??

Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving comes cute pictures in the front yard underneath our one tree.

What a cutie little kid! She thought it was funny that I kept throwing leaves at her and yelling, "Look up here! Up here!! UP HERE!!!!!!"

In November, we got sick of changing poopy diapers, so we bought a little potty seat and have now begun sitting her on the potty before she goes to sleep and when she wakes up and GLORY BE TO GOD, she actually poops in the potty. I would say 9 times out of 10. The 10 happened last week when I went to check on her (after she squirreled around in her bed for an hour), and lo-and-behold, she had not only pooped in her diaper, but taken it off and smeared it in every forsaken crevice she could possibly think of. Including inside a drawer that was next to her crib. And then shutting the drawer so I didn't actually find that poop until much later. And I was so flustered by the shear smell and volume of poop, that I actually washed the diaper with everything else, leaving Tim to clean up that mess in the washing machine. SO, suffice to say, the potty works most of the time.

Thanskgiving was celebrated with my sister, Aunt Beth, who came down from North Carolina to spend it with our family! She's actually a supermodel. Just kidding, she works at a vet office, but she could be!

We stopped by our mother's side of the family to eat our first dinner of the day--there were 5 girls (our aunts), each having 2-3 kids which totaled 13 cousins, who got married and now have kids of their own so here's Canaan playing with a few of the 2nd cousins (Laine, Reilly, and Gaines!)

Next stop on the Thanksgiving Day Express, the Goodwin's house--Josh and Sarah's. Here's a picture of Tim, his brother Josh, his daughter Courtney, and Canaan. Note Canaan's eyes diverting their attention to Courtney's luxuriously soft hair.

Next picture, contact has been made.

Canaan emerges victoriously while Courtney is nursing her scalp (and lip??)

And finally, one big happy family, minus a handful of hairs.

Our last stop for the day, the Mountain House to celebrate with the Trane's (my dad, brother, and step-mom.) We go for a hike the next day, and here we are--Grandpa, Daddy, Uncle John, and Canaan who seems to be looking elsewhere (at what? A tree or a rock? Rarely does she actually look when I'm taking her picture. Any suggestions, please email or call me.)

Here, she's actually looking at a waterfall. Hopefully thinking to herself, "What a Thanksgiving! Each year definitely gets better--this year I could eat whole foods, play with toys and cousins, and hike to a large waterfall. And I poop in the potty. Most of the time."

Christmas

And now to a whole other celebration--Santa time. This year, not only could Canaan say "Santa" (referring to every old man with a beard...she really does believe in the magic of Christmas!!) but she could also wait patiently for two hours in line to see the Man Himself and as soon as we arrive for picture-time, she forgets that Santa is a magical and wonderful old man and begins relentlessly screaming. SO, this is the picture on our "2009" frame on our tree this year.

Speaking of a tree, we made our annual trek to the tree farm, to pick out the tree of our dreams, pretend to cut it down, then take off the red flag indicating it was on sale, and finally drive it home to decorate!

We quickly learned with an 18-month old that diversion is a parent's best friend. So here's Canaan decorating her tree while Mama and Daddy quickly decorated the big tree.

This year, we began the traditional cookie-making at the Goodwin house. Thanks to my Aunt Beth's sugar cookie recipe, Canaan was able to partake in mixing the dough--her favorite part not being licking the beaters like one would imagine, but pretending to break the eggs into the batter--"EGGS EGGS EGGS!!!"

She also rolls dough.

And finally, we bake it, decorate it, and she eats it. In her apron, of course, to save her outfit from the green sprinkles.

Her favorite present this year came from Nana and Pop-pop in the form of a real-live kitchen, complete with pots, pans, spoons, and food. NOW, she can break all the eggs she wants. That's probably what she was thinking in this picture as she saw her Nana and Pop-pop present her with the kitchen.

"My very own microwave!!" she exclaims.

"Thank you, Nana and Pop-pop. You have made my every culinary dream come true."

For Christmas, we also made our annual trip to Minnesota to visit the fam! Here's a snowy picture of Canaan with her cousins (actually, my cousin's kids), Mattie and Lainey, who were more than happy to entertain Canaan until the negative 47 degree temperature overtakes Canaan and she simply falls to the snow, nearly passed out with the lack of oxygen in her body and the immenant frostbite on every external surface of her body. Just kidding...the cold wasn't that bad. Snow does make for great pictures, though!

In the following video, Mattie and Lainey take Canaan across the frozen lake. Canaan stops after eight feet or so, walking in snow pants is difficult for her peanutty legs.

And of course there are thousands of presents to open. Canaan tires after the second one.

Finally, we take our Big Family Picture at the nursing home with Great-Grandma, who's still not sure who I am or Canaan is or anyone for that matter. But Great-Grandma is in a state of pure medicated Christmas Bliss! Just happy to have 15 people eating Christmas dinner and taking pictures with her!

January

Now we are up-to-date. January is Canaan's official 18-month-mark, and so she advances in her education, from pooping in the crib to saying "ABC, ABC, ABC." In this video, I have documented her trying to point to the letters in order. It's really luck-of-the-draw: sometimes she points to the A and says it, other times she points to the walrus and says, "A."

Canaan is also learning how to dance to Keisha's "Tik Tok." First, we work on spotting while turning in graceful circles.

January also brings the Big Snow--so Canaan learns the difference between Minnesota snow which could freeze a grown man in seven minutes and Georgia snow, which will be melted by the 65 degree weather the next day. So we enjoyed it while it lasted!

Canaan is learning to enjoy a nice piece of fruit, while lounging in her rocking chair and sharing good conversation with her mother. They grow up so fast!

And finally, to close this longest-blog-I've-ever-written, Canaan learns one last important lesson in January--that this tiny picture in her hands will grow up to be her tiny brother or sister soon! Yes, Canaan is going to be a big sister on August 17th! Yeah!! It was truly a wonderful day when we found out our little family is growing!!

We've Been Busy!

2009-10-03T18:39:00.001-07:00

We've been busy since the last blog! Since Canaan has learned how to walk, she's been very busy. And so have her parents. I've documented a few of the busy times in September as well as a few lessons I've learned after having an "angel" baby for the first two weeks of Canaan's life, followed by a "crabby" baby for the next three months, then the "spirited" baby until 12 1/2 months, whereas Canaan became the "busy" baby.

September began with Uncle Josh Goodwin and Aunt Sarah getting married--here's Canaan (the flower girl) with her cousin Courtney (also a flower girl...more like a "flower pre-teen").

Canaan kept busy trying to 1.) keep the 2 pound bow on her head, 2.) keep Courtney from picking her up, 3.) walk in a straight line down the aisle,

and 4.) learn how to dance with her Daddy!

I learned an important lesson that day: hold Canaan as much as I can, kiss her often, take lots of pictures and videos, and enjoy every last second of her little-ness because there will be a day when she's dancing with her Daddy on her wedding day!

And I don't want to think, "If only I..." I want to be thinking, "Thank the Lord I..."

Canaan also enjoyed spending time with her second-cousin, Austin Woodger: Tim's cousin's three year old son. Talk about busy--Austin took it to a whole new level.

Thus, the "action shot" where they're planning on where to run next--the hotel lobby, up the elevator, or under the buffet?

And speaking of weddings: Canaan has been busy hosting Andre at her house for "juice and finger snacks."

Here, the kids are watching a movie while munching on snacks. Note that Canaan is eating out of Andre's snack cup, while Andre is snacking out of Canaan's cup. Sharing is a big deal--however, we do draw the line at sharing kisses--that's why "movie dates" are supervised, rated G, and random hand checks are preformed (just to be sure there's no hanky panky, "Oh, that's your hand? I thought that was my sippy cup"...right.)

In the following video, you'll see Canaan busy drinking from Andre's cup while he's eating from her snack cup. We try not to share germs, but another lesson I've learned as a parent: I do what I can to keep Canaan healthy--don't put that in your mouth, where did that crayon go, don't eat that cracker that's been shoved in your car seat for a week, don't drink after other kids, etc.--but I've learned that 100% of adults have gotten sick as kids and have made it out alive. I have to realize that I can't be a perfect mom because God is a perfect Dad and Adam and Eve still disobeyed him. So, how in the world can I assume if I do everything just right Canaan will never get sick, or mess up, or make a bad choice?? That's what grace, mercy, forgiveness, and unconditional love are for!

And this is what soap's for: letting Canaan eat chocolate and really enjoy it.

And in this video, you can see that Baby Signs really do work: when asked if Canaan wants more chocolate, she doesn't hesitate to use the "more" sign--and quickly. She also tries to tell me how wonderful chocolate is and why hasn't she eaten more of it until now? We've been busy teaching her how to communicate with Baby Signs in the hopes that we can by-pass the terrible twos (after all, if she can communicate, she won't get frustrated, which means no tantrums). We'll let you know how that turns out--does stomping your feet, throwing things across the room, aggressively squishing the play-dough through her fingers when it doesn't roll into a ball correctly, and squealing so loudly and at a decibel that only dogs and whales can hear when I tell her we're "all done with ice cream", does that mean that we're on our way to by-passing that terrible-twos stage? That's a lesson we've yet to learn.

Canaan's also been busy cheering for the Dawgs this season (to no avail, apparently.) Here, she's intently watching the game with her Aunt Cassie's almost-step-kids, Paige and Nathan.

Canaan is wishing the defense would get busy doing their job and hold the line.

And finally, September ended with the ultimate in busy-ness. I found Canaan butt-naked in her crib after a nap.

When Canaan is "not tired" because she's been "so busy" (or so she thinks), she'll entertain herself by throwing everything out of the crib and commentating on each item and where it landed.

So one day, before church, I take off her dress to clean it (she was busy squishing strawberries on her nice white dress at breakfast) and lay her down for a nap.

Thirty minutes later, after I hear many crashes and lots of chatter and laughing, I arrive in her room to find everything on the floor, including, to my surprise, her diaper. So, afraid of finding poop, I peek over the side of her crib, thankfully finding only a puddle of pee. Canaan points to it and laughs, her naked booty shaking with her.

Lesson learned: the joy of parenting vastly outweighs the messes I clean up, the frustration of washing the fourth set of sheets in one week, the headache I get when I've been drinking de-caf coffee for three days even though I thought it was caffeinated and I kept wondering why I was still so tired in the morning and then I think, "Maybe its cause Canaan was up three times last night with her teething (again)." But despite all the "other things" that come with parenting, when your baby says, "MAMA" and laughs and smiles and asks for "more" when she sees you, it's all worth it.

Summer Activities: Part Two

2009-08-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

More summer activities for Canaan included the realization that mobility equals freedom.

For example, "If you can get to the tomato fast enough while mother isn't looking, you have the freedom to eat the tomato," was Canaan's mantra during the many summer afternoons we spent outside.

While on a family picnic at Piedmont Park, Canaan realized that the freedom experienced while being launched into the air by her dad was an exhilarating type of mobility. Despite her mother's constant gasps and her attempts to "spot" these dangerous tosses into the air, Canaan loved it.

Another type of mobility Canaan experienced: the ever-faithful, "Tube the Hooch" with Uncle John, Grandpa, Dad, and Mom. While we enjoyed learning how to ram other tubers who were stuck in five inches of water, this was, by far, the most inefficient way to quickly move down the river. And Canaan enjoys both speed and efficiency.

In an effort to teach Canaan other ways to mobilize yourself, we brought her to the North Carolina Country to see her Aunt Beth (my sister) and Uncle Luke (her husband). This is actually her Uncle John (my brother)--note the "Uncle John" t-shirt.

One type of transportation experienced in the country: riding cattle. Just kidding...they don't actually do that. Canaan did enjoy feeding the cows, though. The freedom of moving had to be carefully monitored, though, so as to prevent Canaan from eating the cow's food or being trampled. There's much responsibility involved in parenting.

A real type of mobility we DID experience: the tractor pull.

Yes, we did get to watch a real tractor pull.

Here, Canaan practices on her own tractor. Ahhh, the freedom to drive wherever I want going only 6 miles per hour.

And the following video documents what actually happens during a tractor pull. Note every one's "drop-jaw" look. It was stunning...the strength of the tractors and the masculinity displayed when some one's tractor could make it all of 50 feet down the dirt track.

One type of transportation Canaan discovered this summer: the box. Here, Canaan realizes that not only are you rendered immobile if the box does not have wheels, but it's also a little tight around the leg-area. So, this was NOT Canaan's favorite mode of mobility.

Conducting a train, on the other hand, was.

At her "One-Year Old" photo shoot (thanks to Chris and Anna Walters, fellow small group friends) at the Marietta Square, Canaan realizes that driving a train is not only a blast, but also a quick form of transportation.

Here, in the "Classic Canaan Point", she is trying to tell us, "After I check out these flowers behind me, I'm going to take my doll and run over there to the other side of the Square. So see if you can keep up."

And here, Canaan is pointing to the stairs, telling us that yes, she can also climb stairs. Dangerous brick stairs, no less.

When people tell you to enjoy the days when you can put your baby in one place and she stays there, they aren't lying. Now, our days exist of lots of coffee, anticipating dangerous corners, and exploring everything two tiny hands and feet could possibly find.

And the ultimate in mobility: walking! Canaan has officially graduated into the class of "Toddlers." In this video which was filmed weeks ago, we catch Canaan practicing this new-found mode of transportation. Now, she's nearly running. With her doll, Hayden, of course.

She finds it funny that she can go wherever she wants, climb anything, make her parents run really fast, and especially have the freedom to explore the world!

And 117 pictures later, Canaan is "all done" with kissing, photo shoots, and sitting.

She's out of here.

These Mary-Janes are made for walking, and that's just what they'll do, sister.

Summer Activities: Part One

2009-08-25T13:49:00.000-07:00

The summer activities of a one year old are numerous. On top of the list of fun-filled activities are: hanging out with friends.

Andre, Canaan's favorite neighbor she's ever had, enjoys swimming with her, discussing tactical maneuvers for shoveling sand--

--and driving her three-wheeler in only his skivvies. It's a difficult task seeing as how Canaan always fluffs his hair whenever she's sitting behind him. Andre tries to tell her to just simply hold on while he attempts to show her how he can drive with no hands.

Lunch with friends. Canaan enjoys talking with her mother's college buddy, Amy Morrill Younkins, and her little guy, Grant. She's mostly interested in the foundation Amy uses--wow, her complexion is fabulous!

Best girl friend: Gracie Bardin, youngest girl of Greg and Esther Bardin, also college friends. Gracie and Canaan enjoy sharing hair products--Canaan obviously did not use any hair spray that morning, while Gracie straightened her hair quite nicely. They also enjoy pretending the Lion Push Along Toy is a shopping cart at Super Target. All girls love that place.

One of Canaan's favorite girlfriend activities: getting the ladies together to play a little Bridge. Actually, that won't come for another few years. They do like to sit around and talk about how it would be fun to play Bridge, though.

Girlfriends: Joy Bardin (in the chair), Marin Jones (in the blue shorts), Hope Jones (laying on the floor), Gracie Bardin (Tim's lap), and Canaan (Baby Power.)

Finally, one of the youngest of Canaan's circle of friends, Isaac Robertson, son of Nicole and John Michael Robertson from our church's small group. Canaan enjoys giving Isaac the "Stink Face" until she realizes, it's her own diaper that stinks. How embarrassing.

Canaan also enjoyed the occasional risk this summer. Sliding down a twenty-foot Bounce House Slide (thanks to Sierra Potts' kind invitation), on her belly. We like to mix things up during the summer.

Besides playing with friends and taking risks, Canaan also spent the summer playing with her toys. Particularly those toys that provided props for her and her mother's favorite pretend game, "Desperate Housewives." So after her Grammy from Minnesota sent her every pretend food item you could possibly imagine (including but not limited to: leeks, tangerines, donuts, whole chickens, croissants, hot dogs, celery, etc) and the All-Clad-mini-pots-and-pans set, Canaan was ready to play.

Of course, she had to taste everything. (And here I am thinking the "tasting everything stage" ends at a year. No, not really.)

And what Desperate Housewife would be complete without her baby in it's very own, life-size, American Girl Doll stroller? (Thanks again, to her Grammy, my Aunt Beth, the "Original Desperate Housewife.") In the following video, Canaan's patience wears thin after a full day of cleaning, preparing food, running errands, taking the kids to soccer practice, and finally, the icing on the fondant cake occurs when her stroller crashes into the baby gate. Who, in their right mind, would put a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs?

After that kind of day, we both like to end our summer night with a good "Lucky Stripe" cigarette. Also thanks to the family in Minnesota. (Particularly my cousins, Peter and John, who introduced me to the "Candy Cigarette" when I was only three. I would like to thank them for the positive influence they've had on my daughter and me. Thank you, Sweet Peter and John for teaching us how to relax after living another summer day of being a Desperate Housewife.)

And before you call DFCS on the Goodwin Gang, know that we quickly ate up the rest of the cigarettes so as not to teach her any bad habits.

The Fourth of July!

2009-07-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

Canaan's (second) Fourth of July consisted mostly of this face: pure astonishment.

We begin our Fourth of July celebrations on the Third of July...why not have TWO days of fireworks, danger, and the commemoration of our country's Independence? So we head to Rope Mill Park with our fireworks in tow (obtained illegally across the border...I mean, we bought them at Kroger). First up, a seemingly harmless display of sparkly sparkler things. Or so we thought.

With the camera rolling, Canaan only four feet away (what harm can a sparkler firework do), and Tim lighting the fuse, we soon encounter the kind of trouble that is so rampant on Fourth of July Celebrations--not reading the directions.

As frightening and "Blair Witch Project" as this video seemed, there were no eyes shot out during the firing of these mortars. Canaan's look of astonishment told us, "Just how can you mistake a harmless show of sparklers with mortars that shoot twelve feet in the air, complete with booms that have the reverberation of Civil War cannons??"

So we lit the actual sparklers instead. Canaan, her parents, and the Cherokee County Fire Department were much happier.

Next on the Fourth of July Agenda, an authentic Fourth of July Parade! Complete with friends to watch the parade with (Casey and Angela Smith, Kaitlin and Ethan), real high school marching bands, two fire engines, thousands of plastic American flags courtesy of the local "Lion's Club", and a fantastic show of every "Miss something or other" riding in her convertible that you could possibly imagine.

Canaan's look of astonishment at the ninth Mustang convertible with some girl aged four months to eighteen years old wearing a crown, waving to her assembly of on-lookers, also astonished at just how many "Miss Teen Marietta" and "Tiny Miss Cobb County" and "Little Junior Miss Georgia" and "Teeny Tiny Miss Little Preschool Down the Street" there are.

Here, Canaan is proudly "waving" her American Flag while the veterans walk down the street.

She's thankful her Uncle John, who was stationed in Iraq for many years, is back home safely and for good!

She's secretly hoping her Uncle John will let her ride in his Mustang next year and that she will be chosen as the 2010 "Little Miss Peanut of 408 Redwood Trail."

We love the Fourth of July!

Finally, it's time for a cook-out with Kate, Andy, and Sierra Potts and a real fireworks display!

After a pig roast and many cookies, everyone hurries to find their place in the back of the truck. Canaan's hoping these fireworks are less scary than the mortars, yet more remarkable than the sparklers.

And they are!

(Just a side note...do you see that curly hair?? On both husband and kid?? I'm astonished at how cute they are.)

And finally, Canaan's second Fourth of July comes to an end...fireworks were wonderful, cookout was yummy, friends are awesome, parade was amazing, and Sierra's look of astonishment told Canaan that you can have a fun-filled day, with no naps, eat lots of chocolate (as evident by Sierra's chin), and hang out in the back of someones truck watching fireworks until ten o'clock, and STILL ensure that your cute bow or hat stays on all day.