Diapers in space

Two items of note today, and I'm not entirely sure which has greater significance.

First, I am pleased to report that, for the past several weeks, the Fraser household has been completely diaper-free.  We have exchanged Tavish's Pampers Cruisers™ for Pull-Ups at night and Curious George undies during the day.  It seems the younger boy went and potty-trained himself.  Mostly.  One thing about having an older brother in the house is that the younger one wants to emulate him ALL THE TIME.  While frustrating and annoying when the older guy is misbehaving and the wee lad just exacerbates a situation simply fraught (FRAUGHT, I tell you!) with angsty teeth-clenching and restrained violence, the good times are way better too, and Toddler Behavioural Modification Training (ToBMoT) is very nearly a perpetual motion machine.  (We break so many things in our house, why not the second law of thermodynamics as well?)

We're not out of the woods yet -- not by a long shot.  Heck, I sometimes still look for a break in the trees.  He still pees his pants on a daily basis, and we are not unfamiliar with the practice of taking underpants to the yard to hose the crap out of them.  ("Tavish, where are you supposed to poop??"  "Inna toy-yet.")  His car seat in both vehicles may have a distinct aroma should you steer your olfactory inquisitiveness to the waft that is both earthy and a little bit nutty.

Amy and I both feel quite fortunate.  Dex took the better part of a year to piss in the crapper with reliable consistency, and Tav had it mastered almost before we yanked his pants down.  The day we can bid farewell to absorbent undergarments of any kind will be a day long remembered chez Fraser.

...

More exciting than potty training (for me) is that I've submitted an application to be one of the next Canadian astronauts.

There are currently four space cadets in the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), and they want to boost that number back up to six, where it once was.  So, for the second time in its history, the CSA opened its doors to nation-wide astronaut recruitment.  During the brief time they were accepting applications they received over 5,300.  For a total of two spots.

I'm not too sure that I like my chances, but I'm going to plug away at it to see how far I get.

The initial application requirements were pretty broad:

• Canadian citizen
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Applied Science, Science, or license to practise medicine
• Stand between 149.5 and 190.5 cm (4'-9" and 6'-3")
• Visual accuity, with or without corrective lenses
• Other basic fitness

So I matched all of that and sent in my application.

Just yesterday (Thursday) I received notice that I will be eligible to fill out the second stage of the application, which will entail my sending more detailed information for consideration.  (personal info, grade point average, cover letter, experience, relevant experience [??], expertise, certifications, resume.)  After that's all done, the field will be whittled to a precious few invited to Ottawa for a first round of interviews.  I don't really expect to make it to that stage, but at least I can say that I applied to be an astronaut and was, initially, qualified.

That's kinda cool all by itself.

(When I shared this bit of information with a couple friends at a wedding this past weekend, one of them quipped, "I guess you just have to work on the '-tronaut' part then, huh?")

Comments

[Moksha Gren]

Congrats on both fronts. Norah has just entered the "poop is dirty..thus poop muct be removed from my diaper and flung as far away from my crib as possible...or possibly hidden inside my pillow case" phase. It makes everytime we open her door after her nap feel like a casino-style all-in gamble on red. I look forward to this phase ending. I will be supremely jealous of chez Fraser once Tav makes the leap for good.

Did you mention on your app that you are the Simian Farmer? Monkeys have been proven very able space-farers since the early days of space exploration. And Billy Bob Thorton has proven that an Astronaut Farmer is a very good idea. So surely there is wisdom in sending someone with both credintials into orbit.

Also, I didn't put it together yesterday, but I must assume the push-up mentioned yesterday are part of your astronaut training regime?

Good luck.

[Émilie B]

Way to go Tav!

That witty comment out of the way, you also get some cool-points for considering astronautism and going for it. And loads more cool-points if you do get in. (Do they have an internet connection up there? I'm sure they do, and won't we be treated to gold blog content then, eh?)

Does push-up training = http://hundredpushups.com/ ? Frank started on it about a week ago. I tried at first too, but didn't follow up. Frank should do ok, though... he's not a fitness-minded type of guy, but the web-origin and challenge-type of this training might just make it work for him.

[Simon]

Moksha,

That sort of disgusts me. Thankfully, neither of my boys have ever had the slightest inclination to touch or fling or hide their poo. That's just gross! I really should mention something about my Simian Farmer-ness on the next stage of my astronaut app. Perhaps if not an astronaut, I can make it into space as some sort of experiment?? See my response to Émilie below re: pushups.

Émy,

I truly hope to get loads more cool points by getting into the astronaut program, though, like I said, I don't hold out too much hope. (Frankly, I think my lack of a second language will REALLY hinder me.) And yes, your insight serves you well in that I AM doing the hundredpushups.com thing. Today was the third day of my second week and I pulled it off wonderfully. Just four weeks to go!

[Moksha Gren]

The hundred push-up thing sounds cool. I'll give it a shot...but fully expect to loose interest after a few days. It's kinda a trend with me ;) But thanks for the link

[Mark]

Hundred pushups? Sounds intriguing, and I already opened the link in a separate tab.

I think it's very cool that you applied to be an astronaut, and are not out of the running yet. I shouldn't even say, "Yet," because I'm sure you have a decent chance.

Make sure you tell them that the book Contact is much better than the movie. That always earns me points when applying for any space-faring job.

"I guess you just have to work on the 'tronaut part, then, huh?"

Now that's funny. Are all you Canadians funny?

[Mark]

I dig the new banner with just the lone balloon, by the way. I wondered, though, why I don't see the text Simian Farmer anywhere in it. Did you ditch that?

Do you like that I used the words "dig" and "ditch" in the same paragraph?

[Simon]

Moksha,

I'll bug you later to see if you stuck with the hundred pushups thing. I fully expect myself to barrel through to the end.

Mark,

I'd give myself much less than a decent chance, but thanks for your optimism. It buoys me. While I wouldn't say that ALL Canadians are funny, I like to think that I've chosen to associate with some of those who are funnier than most.

And I ditched the text simply because I haven't reinstalled the software I had been using to edit pics for banners. I was able to crop the banner, but not textify it.

Yes, I do like that you used "dig" and "ditch" in the same paragraph. You are my hero of the moment, my friend. ;)

[Terri]

Your new banner makes me think of that song from years back.......99 red balloons..or something like that...though this is just one balloon...so I guess they are not really that much alike afterall.

Can you tell it's 4:30 in the morning!

[Psychfun]

There is also the movie "The Red Balloon" which I just saw out on video.

Surely, the astronauts program would be interested in some strange poop experiment in space. I mean if they are interested in people living somewhere other than earth they will have to figure out how to deal with it then. Of course flinging poop in space will not at least have the damage as it does to walls here...then again haven't we been flinging poop in space for a long time already???

Why don't we just send up Britney Spears or Paris Hilton & have them live out in space for awhile & see what happens...oh wait they have been already!

Surely your son's ability to shoot things with his eyes has to be genetic. I'd list that! Could come in handy for any encounters with aliens or should you meet Marvin the Martian at least!

Oh...and can you imagine how cool it will be to bring your dad to kindergarten & tell all your friends your dad is an astronaut. You better go last, anyone after you will feel like a wimp! HA!

Now if you were not married that might impress the ladies too! I mean Jack Nicholson played it totally in those movies with Shirley McClaine. HA! Then again even with the wife it might be fun "I'll take you to the moon honey", "That was out of this world honey.." oh man there are just too many.

[marian]

Whoa. Lots of comments! My own little contrarian potty trained himself, too. I had been procrastinating about doing it for so long that he finally just had to insist that he was done with diapers. I pleaded with him to keep wearing them, but no. It was the only break he ever really gave me, except for his love of broccoli.

I think you may have a better chance than you know, Simon. Don't ignore your abdominals. Well-defined abs leave a good impression.

[Dave]

Congrats on both ends... (pun intended).

Oh, and if you go into space, how are you going to explain it to the boys that Daddy will be wearing a diaper in space? *LOL*