Cultural Canaan

In an attempt to "culturize" Canaan, we make every effort to introduce her to the American way of life.

Of course, one of the most important aspects of our society is Patriotism--so after having a conversation with Canaan about relevant social and political issues such as the free market, capitalism, ACORN and the debilitation of the mortgage market, we felt like she was ready to vote.

Don't let her looks fool you--she was more than happy to get her "I voted" sticker.

We also felt like it was important for Canaan to experience the "cun-try". So last fall, we took her to the North Georgia Mountain Fair. How to build a log cabin, how to make pork rinds, and how to drive a Harley were all the lessons Canaan learned that day.

At Halloween, we thought we'd let Canaan undergo what every American experiences on October 30--quickly carving the pumpkin so our $20 pumpkin doesn't go to waste and so that all 5 neighbors will see it if they decide to make the two mile trek into our neighborhood to trick or treat at our house while bypassing all the "big" houses that give out "life-size" candy bars instead of "fun" size.

While she appears to be upset at being put in the pumpkin, she was merely trying to tell us that there was pumpkin-gut on her Halloween tights.

Tim was trying to console her--bless his heart.

An appreciation of art and history is an aspect that grows one's character and love of country. So we brought her to the High Museum of Art for the Last Emperor's Terracotta Army exhibit. Fascinating!

Especially after realizing that people don't bring babies to the High often and that there's a strong possibility we may be asked to "come back another time."

But not with Canaan on board. Whether it was the terracotta figurines in the gift shop that peaked her interest or the fact that her mother had to sneak in a picture because I'm not sure if you can actually take pictures at an art museum, Canaan did not make a peep the whole time.

We were not asked to "quietly leave the premises."

Canaan was excited to learn the process of actually creating a few thousand member army made out of terracotta.

She was fascinated to discover that the Emperor was afraid of the after life and so built this army. Thank heaven for heaven, Canaan thought. Literally.

She was thrilled to try her first wonton.

She was delighted to pose in front of yet another statue for the 32nd "illegal" picture in an art museum.

But, Canaan did learn to have an appreciation for both art and history--another cultural event checked off the list.

Canaan also eats at fancy resturants. This weekend while on a little trip with our friends Chris and Anna Walters and Dustin and Angela Lyle, Canaan eats her first lemon. A highly culutural and sophisticated fruit to eat. One that her Aunt Amy enjoys. So we caught it on video. Pay close attention to her face after tasting her first lemon.

Nothing--she's not even fazed. Should we be concerned?

And finally, after "culturizing" her at the restuarant, we decided it was time for Canaan to experience yet another important aspect of our society that nearly every American 21 years and older appreciates--

wine tasting.

Definitely a drier Merlot aged in oak barrels, Canaan decides.

She may look like she's had too much to drink, but she's actually focusing on the aroma of this particular variety.

Soon, Canaan will be ready for the whiskey. Just kidding.

We are responsible parents.

Canaan's First Christmas Vacation!

Canaan's first Christmas was a blast! And since she's a Goodwin and a kid after our own heart--we were on the GO the entire Christmas Vacation!

First stop, Babyland General Hospital in Cleveland, GA--home of the original Cabbage Patch Kids. The place where her mother went when she was a little tyke and the same place where Canaan would receive her first CABBAGE PATCH KID for Christmas! During the tour of the "hospital" while looking for the perfect doll to purchase for her, we thought it would be funny to play "Where's Canaan?" It's like "Where's Waldo?" but with a life-size baby hidden among life-size dolls.

Canaan was excited that all the Cabbage Patch Kid clothing and accessories actually fit her.

Although she wasn't technically supposed to see her Christmas present before Christmas day, she peeked.

Daddy didn't appreciate Babyland General Hospital and the experience of purchasing Canaan's first Cabbage Patch Kid like Canaan or I did. After making the purchase, he wasn't too excited about looking at all the accessories and taking more pictures. He was ready to go.

Next stop, the Mountain House, where we spent Christmas Eve with the Trane family--Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle John. Here, you will see Canaan opening her very first Christmas present ever--a cutie little book complete with tasty wrapping paper.

Then for Christmas day, we're off to the Goodwin family household--Nana, Pop Pop, G-Pop, Uncle Josh, Aunt Sarah, Uncle Kevin, and her cousin Courtney. Imagine Canaan's surprise when she opens up...her very first Cabbage Patch Kid! This looks familiar, she thinks.

So after hours of present-opening, we get the cutest picture, quite possibly, of Canaan's entire Christmas Vacation--she and Courtney donning Santa hats, trying to decide which of the nineteen cameras to smile at.

And after a long hard day opening hundreds of presents, Canaan is cashed out on the sofa with Uncle Josh (left) and Uncle Kevin (right). Her mother did not think it was very funny that they strategically place a beer bottle in her hands. I am not an advocate of under-age drinking.

Next stop on the Christmas Express, the airport where Canaan gets ready to fly to Minnesota to visit the Extended Trane Family.

Her first airplane ride is a big deal. She practices flying with her Uncle John.

When I say "extended family" I'm serious. This is a BIG family tree--Maureen's dad (Grandpa Fred Trane) has two sisters (Cindy and Aunt Beth) who have kids and whose kids have kids. Left to right on the bottom row: Mattie, Payton, Alex, Lainey, Cody. Next row from right to left: Canaan, Maureen, Uncle Roy, my cousin Peter, Great-Grandma Virginia, Aunt Beth, Grandma Kathryn. Last row, left to right: Aunt Cindy, my cousin Paula, my cousin John, Uncle John, Tim the father, Uncle Babe, and Grandpa Dad.

And here's four generations--starting with Canaan's Great-Grandma who tried to tell me that she has a puppy at the nursing home who won't eat much, despite the food she shoves in it's face. This puppy, we later find out, is a fake puppy who "moves" with a push of a button. Poor senile Great-Grandma. Next, my Aunt Beth (who is like my mother), me, and finally Canaan who was thrilled with Great-Grandma's fluffy hair and leopard-print shirt.

Canaan's absolute favorite part of the Minnesota Christmas Vacation were her cousins--Cody, Alex, Mattie, Lainey, and Payton. They were a source of constant entertainment and cute pictures--one such picture: matching red pajamas for everyone! Thanks to Aunt Beth. The following video shows the difficulty of getting all six kids to smile at one camera at the same time.

On top of experiencing her first set of matching P.J's, Canaan also experienced her first snow. Major snow, I might add.

In the following video, you'll see Canaan, immobile in her snow suit, and Payton throwing the first "snowball" which is actually a "snowfluff", purposely meant to explode in the air before it actually hits her. (Good thinking by her mother). But Payton didn't think that snowball was good enough, so she took it upon herself to throw a bigger snowball, one that's the size of half of Canaan's body. So you'll hear me yelling to her, "NO NO!! That's TOO BIG!!!" Luckily, three year old Payton didn't have the greatest aim.

And after a cold romp in the snow, a nice bath in a tub crowded with four girls with two other girls supervising is always a relaxing way to end the day. Especially when I have to keep telling Lainey, "Hold on tight. Really. Hold on tighter than that. I'm not kidding--she's really slippery." At the same time I have to keep reassuring Mattie (the one with glasses) that Canaan won't pee or poop in the tub--not that I can guarantee that, but I had to tell her that so she'd stop asking me. All the while, I'm monitoring Payton (in the front) as she's "helping" me wash Canaan's hair--"Don't keep pouring the water on her face. She has to be able to breathe!"

Six girls at bath time is a lot.

After a week at the lake house, Canaan reluctantly leaves her cousins to fly back to Georgia. But before we leave the great state of Minnesota, we take a quick trip to the Mall of America. She is utterly amazed at the amusement park inside the mall. So Canaan gets her first ride on a roller coaster!

Just kidding.

Then we visit Grandpa's best friend from childhood--Paul Swan and his family. By this stage in the game, Canaan is having a tough time remembering all the names of the people she's met for the first time. But she takes comfort in knowing that whether she's in Minnesota or Georgia, at least she can still ride around in the Baby Bjorn.

We've been drawing family trees at home to prepare her for next summer when we go back to Minnesota. She'll be well-versed in the family history and how everyone is related to someone. It's a tough job for a six month old, but we are raising a tough kid.

Finally, it's time to go home. Canaan relaxes on the flight back to Georgia. Ready to get back to Andre and Gracie and Joy and Sierra and Marin and Mackenzie and all her other friends. Ready to see grass on the ground again. Ready to just wear her pink jacket and not have to be shoved into a big snowsuit again. Ready to go to sleep in her own bed. Ready for the next Christmas Vacation!!

Thankfully, Delta is truly the most comfortable way to fly.

Getting ready for Christmas...

The first Christmas is a big deal. So in an effort to prepare for this momentous occasion, we decided to get our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving...a little early and it was a little freezing and rainy, but we persevered. We usually cut down our tree, but this year, it was too cold.

So for the sake of the "first tree", Tim still had to pretend.

We choose our tree in about eight minutes, had a quick photo shoot, paid the man for the tree, threw it on the top of the Forerunner, and were back in the car four minutes later.

Canaan was not sure what had just happened.


After enslaving Tim to take all the boxes and trunks full of Christmas stuff down from the attic as well as checking and untangling hundreds of lights, the tree was up by December 1. THAT was a first for us. We wanted to make sure that Canaan had plenty of time to enjoy her first Christmas tree!

She loved it.

She especially loved the fact that her mother refused to vacuum up any more pine needles after the seventh time of vacuuming in only three days. Canaan grew to love playing on the floor ridden with poky pine needles as well as being careful not to eat the pine needles that would get stuck in her stuffed animals.

That's why it takes more than eight minutes to pick out a good Christmas tree--questions like, "Does this tree shed a lot?" are good to ask.

That was Canaan's FIRST lesson in choosing a Christmas tree.

And what Christmas would be complete without attending a Tacky Sweater Party? Hosted at Dustin and Angela Lyle's, Canaan was adorned in her own felt-Christmas-tree-sown-with-a-gold-star-at-the-top-tacky-red-sweater. Tacky sweaters are kind of cute on a baby--not as cute as a sweater vest on her father or a Scottie-dog-complete-with-shoulder-pads sweater on her mother, though.

Finally, the time came for Canaan to visit Santa Claus. We leave right after church to try and beat the mall lines. Apparently, people start standing in the Santa line at 5:30 in the morning. So, no Santa that day.

We then decide to take her to a more remote location where Santa has his own little house that kids come and visit with him. Waaay cuter anyway. We head off on a rainy Tuesday night only to find out that he only sees kids on Mondays and Thursdays.

So, for Santa attempt number three, we load up on Thursday to arrive and find zillions of kids running amuck in the front yard of this little Santa house. We put our name in, thinking we'd be called 20 minutes later. Instead, three hours later, at 9:45 at night, hours after Canaan has fallen asleep in her car seat, after eating dinner at Tim's parents house (thankfully only five minutes down the road), and catching 30 minutes of a Christmas movie on TV, our number is called to see Santa. This had better be good.

And he was! Not only was he FREE, but he had a real beard and the Santa suit wasn't so polyester-looking!

Canaan was thrilled to tell Santa what she wanted for Christmas...her two front teeth.

Seriously. So that her parents can finally sleep through the night again.

She tried to show Santa where the teeth would go. Preferably two straight teeth.

She was a little upset when Santa told her he didn't work in that department. A cute doll will have to do.

Of course, we caught it all on video! We also filmed her rendition of "Away in a Manger", a family tradition we'll do every year--the kids singing that song in front of the tree. This year, Canaan was only interested in the ornaments on the tree.

First Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2008 was a day filled with pictures. It actually began the day before with her Uncle Kevin (Tim's brother) getting sworn into the Army at Pop Pop's church. So here's the beginning of thousands of pictures of Canaan at Thanksgiving.




I think the sergeants were a bit flustered that Canaan was "boneless" instead of "at attention." Uncle Kevin's collar bone was broken (biking accident with Uncle Aahron) so that's why he was holding Canaan's dress with his left hand--in case he dropped her. That would be a bad start for a "medic" in the Army. So we were THANKFUL that Canaan wasn't dropped at the swearing in ceremony.








After a lovely Thanksgiving at my aunt's house (eight aunts and uncles, fifteen cousins, five second cousins, one sister, one brother in law, one husband, and one five month old), we traveled to Nana and Pop Pop Goodwin's house for Thanksgiving and more pictures.


Aunt Beth, mother, and Canaan.




Canaan is beginning to show signs of "discomfort" with the paparazzi. You can tell by the slobber on her dress's collar that she has tried to self-soothe, but to no avail.






It's only getting worse. Now someone took a picture without Canaan even looking. To top that off, Canaan's tights were bunching--and Elephant Ankles at Thanksgiving is extremely inappropriate. So her naked diaper was showing.




As if that weren't enough, sometimes Canaan got confused about who her real mother was since her Aunt Beth's looks are so deceptive. If not for the brown hair, Canaan might have gone home with the wrong person.










And then, the world was coming quickly to an end. Another picture. This time with her father and mother. At this point, not only was Canaan seeing spots, but her boots with the fur were missing. I'd like to say it's her own fault for kicking them off, but maybe it's mine--I have no idea how to "size" infant shoes...is that her toe I feel or just the arch of her foot? I don't even know. Tight boots or not, she sure looked cute on Thankgiving Day.

And then, the final picture with Uncle Luke and Aunt Beth. That was it--Canaan was no longer thankful for anything anymore. At this point, Thanksgiving was nothing but flash photography, bunchy tights, boots that didn't fit, a slobbery dress, and her Uncle Luke who wouldn't even divulge any of his secret military tactics when he was a paratrooper in the Rangers...seriously he was. And he seriously wouldn't tell us about his secret tactics. I was not thankful for that.





So that was it. Just when we thought Thanksgiving was a flop, Pop Pop saved the day.





With Canaan's first bite of Thanksgiving Turkey. Suddenly, the world seemed brighter, our hearts were truly thankful for our friends and family and a healthy baby, and the taste of polyester turkey lingered in our mouths to remind us how wonderful Thanksgiving really is.









And to check out the other food Canaan ate for Thanksgiving (green bean casserole...just kidding. It was broccoli again.) Check out the video!