Jason, Kujo, Mr. Kusick, Coach

The next one up is my dear older brother Jason!

Let's start off in the beginning. Jason is 2.5 years older than me. As kids growing up we were the best of buds always hanging out. I probably was a nuisance at times to him, but the funny thing is I don't really remember us fighting much. Now, Anna and Jessica, we fought, but Jason, not so much. We were two grades apart. Every summer, our Kusick Grandparents would take us two on trips together each summer. We would either head to Branson or Colorado. Good times. Jason was still a nut then, and maybe even more so a nut now.

He was the oldest son, and I do remember being the oldest son, Dad was kind of hard on him. He was always at Dad's side on whatever project Dad may be doing at the time, and as any of my siblings will agree along with Mom, my Dad is not really the easiest guy to work with. Anyways, Jason and I would always go off on adventures, to the woods, creeks, lakes, or what have you.Just exploring I guess, and being kids.

In high school, I was my brother's biggest wrestling fan. See coming from the middle of no where, (Grade school in Frankenstein) there were no sports to play, except I mentioned before a summer baseball league. Jason played that, but I don't know that he liked it all that much. I will have to ask him. Anyways, he started wrestling his freshman year of high school as 103 lb weight class with not a lick of experience, just a hard work ethic, a desire to never lose, and pretty tough overall. He was what you would call a grappler, and earned the name "Kujo". Kind of scary I know. What's funny, is this nickname still sticks from many old highschool friends to him today. He was JV his freshman year, and went on sophomore year to be varsity and place 4rth in state. A major upset to many of the already placed wrestlers. Junior and Senior year varsity again, and he placed 2nd in state at 119 weight class as a senior. You know I can name several people to this day of people he wrestled and his best most amazing matches. I rarely missed a meet, and because of becoming such a great fan, I became Head Statitician( the girls that went to all the meets and tournaments, and kept scores) my junior and senior year. I know really cool right? haha! Anyways, Jason surprised more people than ever. This boy from the country that came to wrestle at Helias (our highschool was a big wrestling school) and out of nowhere was a pretty Darn good wrestler. He showed them.

Jason went on after highschool, and worked on the night shift at a factory for over a year, and then decided he thought he would prefer going to college verses working his tail end off day in and out. So, off to college, where he graduated with a bachelors in Physical Education. He also wrestled in college too, and even has his picture hanging up at the CMSU gym now.

He met his future wife there while attending, and I will never forget it. Jason told me he had a girlfriend, named Crystal, and I was like whatever! haha. When Jason, got his girlfriend, we hardly ever hung out or talked anymore, he was too busy being a gay boyfriend, making recordings on cassette tapes of him talking to his beloved girl. Looking back on it, Jason was an awesome boyfriend, that apparently loved this girl very much. She was going to school there to become a nurse.

Well, the story goes, that they end up getting married, and having two of the most adorable children ever.

So, some points that make me admire my brother. One, he is the spitting image of my Dad. I have always thought both of them to be pretty good lookin for family anyhow. Haha. Both in shape and bald:) I would say they are freaks of nature to some point that they both are so incredibly strong(like my other brothers too) and are very very smart when it comes to working out and lifting weights, and writing work out programs for people as a hobby. Jason has taught himself so much about supplements and the human body. Which intrigues me also, being the vitamin nut that I am.

He is currently working at a High School as the ISS teacher, and if that wouldn't take patience, I don't know what would. He is also a wrestling coach. So, not only a full time working husband, but a Dad too.

And this is one of my most favorite things about my brother is him as a husband and a father.
First, as a husband. Crystal is one lucky woman, as I know she will agree. I mean before when I said, Jason was a "gay" boyfriend- he was. He did all those things that make you want to gag yourself when you see other boys do it for girls. Crystal was his queen. But as a woman myself, I learned that is what we want, and Crystal found it in my brother. It's pretty cool, when you can say your brother is an awesome spouse. He does these little things for her, that just make me smile.
What a goodlookin couple!

Ahhh, his proposal. What a great story! Jason had taken some progression pictures of him going down on one knee with a ring in his hand. They were at a park on a swingset, and he threw them into some other pictures he had, and when she flipped to those, and the final one, she looked to see Jason kneeling in front of her with ring in his hand and asking her to marry him. Pretty cool, huh.

Next, Jason as a Dad. Man, he is just a downright awesome Dad. It is so amazing to watch your brother become and be a Father. He is and always will be a kid at heart. Sometimes, I like to say that Jason has more maternal instinct than some women I know. He is such a great teacher and caretaker of his little girl and little boy.
Told you he is a nut.



I love this one.


Jason, one last thing. Be reminded when you read this. I am still cooler than you.

Your biggest fan

Who would you say is your biggest fan? Last night, about 3am, when I do my best thinking of course; I started pondering about relationships, and worrying about what is to come with another addition to the family here very shortly. Marriage is not always easy and honestly throw a few kids in there it can be even harder to focus on your husband or wife. I will be straight forward and say, I am downright scared of the changes that are going to happen in our family in the next month. I don't think I would be normal if I wasn't though. I question, how we are going to give Benjamin enough love and attention with another baby. I question, how are we going to give each other enough of that too. Last night, I was just watching Ben, and there are moments I truly want to explode with how much I love him. Am I capable of multiplying that by two. Well, I think so. I think God knows I am, and it just happens when the baby comes.

So, the worry, is Jake and I don't really get much time with each other as it is. And when we do, it is few and far between. Last night, I was sitting on Jake's lap at the computer. And Ben saw this going on, and thought it was pretty funny. Then he felt left out so wanted to sit on someone's lap.

Then it clicked in my head. I think I am Jake's biggest fan as a father, and I really hope to think he is my biggest fan as I am a mother. So, easy enough, we just need to show each other that. Be the most supportive father/husband, mother/wife of the other and vice versa, and it makes it all sound pretty simple right?

So, my key to having a loving healthy realationship with your spouse while having children is be their Biggest Fan. Root them on when they are down, support them when they need that support, compliment them when you you admire them for something. Admiration is such a strong word and has so much good meaning. When a husband and wife admire each other how blessed of a relationship is that.

Don't get me wrong, Jake and I have our fights, and boy can we get mad at each other. We are so far from being the perfect husband and wife than Jane and John Doe down the street. But I know we work with each other each day to make our worlds revolve. We hate to fight with each other, and the relief when we make up is nothing short of amazing to me. Then we wonder why the heck are we fighting anyways. Is it really worth it? I am not saying that any of this is easy, and I am definately not an expert.

The best times are when you get along so well with each other, you almost suprise yourselves. You just can't beat it. You CRAVE for more satisfaction in your relationship. I totally believe that no couple goes into a relationship to fail. It is a human charactaristic to succeed. Why not be successful together.

So, Jake I will do my best to be your biggest fan!

TIRED, TIRED, TIRED!

I don't ever remember feeling as tired as I am right now. But actually, I am certain I was before when Ben was a brand newborn at home, only sleeping every two to three hours.

Truly, I am exhausted, and I don't have my little crutch called caffeine right now to give me my little boosts. How I truly crave an Iced Mocha from Starbuck right now! That would hit the spot!

The heat probably doesn't help. I had to travel some for work on Friday, and was out and about walking in the humidity, and I think it got to me. I started to feel really light headed, and I had been trying to chug down the water to help. I feel horrible for those that have to work outside all day in this heat!

Ben's sleeping schedule hasn't helped the last three nights. He keeps awaking to what I think is painful eye teeth trying to come in. Poor guy, but it's like he just can't get comfortable at night. Nor can I for that matter, and when I wake up to get out of bed to check on him or go to the restroom, which is around three times a night, I have the hardest times trying to get back to sleep. I will literally lay and roll around back and forth for up to an hour and 1/2 trying to get back to sleep. It is so frustrating, cuz I already know I am exhausted.

The way I see it, is preparation for Jonna to come in the next few weeks. I just don't remember being this uncomfortable at night when I was pregnant with Ben. I really don't remember even having half of this trouble. That's okay, it could definately be worse! Enough complaining I could be one of those mothers that have to be on bedrest, and I could not do that!

Way behind on belly pictures, but here is me at 36 weeks!


And this is almost 37 weeks with Ben!

THE POTTY DANCE!!

That's right, this Big Mama and her big man Ben were doing a fun ring around the posey potty dance last night, because BEN WENT POTTY IN THE POTTY CHAIR ON COMMAND!!!!

I have gone back and forth in the last two months abou potty training with Ben because he shows the interest, but I just don't want to push it if he isn't ready, and set him up for failure. Plus, everyone tells me how much later boys potty train than girls. Don't get me wrong we are anxious, but I still don't want to push it.

I let him sit on the potty when he wants to, and he never goes. Just after two seconds of sittin up there. He smiles, and then acts like he need TP to wipe, and then off he hops to flush. He has done this for at least two months now.

Well. last night, I had let him run through the sprinkler in his clothes and diaper, and after he was done, I stripped him down, and just put a pair of mesh shorts on, not wanting to waste another diaper before bath time. Well, he was very thirsty and downed two glasses of milk right after he was done playing. I kept asking him to tell me if he needed to go, and he would look at me and smile. At one point, he got up out of the recliner he was sitting in with me and started grabbing himself, and I noticed a little dribble heading down his leg. I was quick to pick him up and rush to the threshhold of the potty chair. Of course, he cut off in mid flow. Thank goodness, we didn't have a trace of pee to the bathroom. Stripped his shorts down, sat him up on the toilet on top of the Elmo potty lid, and said, "OK, Ben, go potty now." He looked at me and smiled, and then even pushed his "weewee" down(as mother's of boys you know they HAVE to do this) and DO YOU KNOW HE WENT POTTY?!!! And he pottied for several seconds, so I was thinking AWESOME JOB! and we celebrated. I expressed how proud I was of him, we did a POTTY DANCE, and you could tell how happy he was too! Then we went to get some icecream as his reward in the kitchen.

We tried to call a few people to let them tell Ben how proud they were of him, but the first one I got a hold of was Uncle Jason and Ava, and they kept telling him Congratulations and Way to go! And he just grinned from ear to ear. Crystal said in the background, "Did you ever think you would get this excited about potty in the potty chair?" And all I could do was laugh, because no, I don't remember the last time I was so excited!

Well, as we sat at the table, I looked outside to see dear old Mugsy chewing up our garden water bucket! GRRRRRRRR, and ran outside to give him a a scolding. I came back five minutes later and saw that WELL, Ben finished going potty in his booster seat! Darn it! But he knew right away he was wet and wanted his pants off, so he is making the connection still.

Anyways, that was our exciting night!! I still don't want to push it, but we are going to try it out more this weekend!! I don't want to get my hopes up.

WAY TO GO BENJAMIN! If he only knew how proud this Mama was!