You can use the B4 and B4A for both goods brought and goods to follow. You just check the box where it says goods to follow for those. You can find them here: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/forms-formulaires/menu-eng.html
You can show all your bank accounts if you want to.
You should not need pictures for your PR card. They will use the pictures you gave them for your PR application.
You do not have to fill out a separate application for your first PR card. It gets applied for automatically as you land. You just have to give them an address to mail it to.
If they do not accept your address and you try to give them your friends address later and in case that doesn't work, if you are visa exempt to Canada, you can still fly on the strength of your passport. If you are not visa exempt, you can either enter by private/rented car or with a travel document. Make sure you ask the consulate as soon as you get back what their processing time will be. In some cases, it can be a few weeks and since they tend to be valid for 6 months, you could apply for it as soon as you come back so you would have it by January for sure.
Since you will be coming back to stay less than 6 months after you landed, you do not have to apply for the PR card when you arrive in January. You would simply call immigration and tell them you are back to stay and have an address now and they will process it.
You do not have to make an appointment at Service Canada.
I do not know if a bank will accept a cashiers check in US$. I think they probably would. However, you can also ask a bank in the US to issue a check in Canadian $ or you can bring travellers checks.
You can show all your bank accounts if you want to.
You should not need pictures for your PR card. They will use the pictures you gave them for your PR application.
You do not have to fill out a separate application for your first PR card. It gets applied for automatically as you land. You just have to give them an address to mail it to.
If they do not accept your address and you try to give them your friends address later and in case that doesn't work, if you are visa exempt to Canada, you can still fly on the strength of your passport. If you are not visa exempt, you can either enter by private/rented car or with a travel document. Make sure you ask the consulate as soon as you get back what their processing time will be. In some cases, it can be a few weeks and since they tend to be valid for 6 months, you could apply for it as soon as you come back so you would have it by January for sure.
Since you will be coming back to stay less than 6 months after you landed, you do not have to apply for the PR card when you arrive in January. You would simply call immigration and tell them you are back to stay and have an address now and they will process it.
You do not have to make an appointment at Service Canada.
I do not know if a bank will accept a cashiers check in US$. I think they probably would. However, you can also ask a bank in the US to issue a check in Canadian $ or you can bring travellers checks.