According to my Baby Center Pregnancy Calculator. my pregnancy journey is 39 weeks and 1 day. Marius is already full time but I don’t  know what’s taking him this long?!? I can’t wait to give birth to my baby. Kuya, Dico, Sangko and Ate are all excited. They can’t wait for their bunso na talaga. Husband is as excited as well. Actually, it’s quite a mystery to me.. even after 4 kids, my excitement for the coming one is still the same, even the husband! I guess that’s one of the many reasons why pregnancy is that long. It prepares the family physically, emotionally and financially.. and speaking of..

Pregnancy Journey Last Lap

Physically, my body is sooo ready! I feel so bloated! My hips are already complaining! I need to give birth really really soon! I am having a hard time sleeping. I can’t sleep, lying down is not an option. I wish I have the talent of sleeping while sitting! And my breast! It’s already leaking! I smelled like milk most of the day.

Emotionally, hellooo! Obviously, I am super excited. I still think about the other baby but it’s not a lump anymore. We’re lucky we still have Marius.. our baby Marius!

Financially, husband says we’re good. wooohooo! This will be my most expensive delivery. I’ll give birth at Cardinal Santos. I will be posting my delivery experience, how much to give birth at Cardinal Santos and about my OB. BUT FIRST!! I NEED TO GIVE BIRTH!

Honestly though, there’s a tiny part of me that’s scared. It’s been 6 years since I give birth.. I do not know if my body still remembers how to. And I can’t or I don’t want to remember the pain of labor.. or the first few hours after giving birth. But whether I like it or not, it is bound to happen and it would be better if it happens really soon! Yeah like tonight or tomorrow or on February 18 (para ka birthday ng Lola ko). I want my pregnancy journey to end really soon. I can’t wait for my breastfeeding journey to start!

Who can relate sa waiting in vain? Nakakainip ang last lap of pregnancy di ba? 

If not for my kids, I wouldn’t be writing about Chinese Zodiac Sign Calendar. All I know is that I was born on the Year of the Dog. But now, knowing that Chinese New Year starts differently every year, I am not so sure with my Chinese Zodiac Sign..

34 years on this planet and I just learned that I am not born under the year of the dog! (All my life.. I’ve only been pretendiiiing)

Check out this Chinese Zodiac Sign Calendar

check yours from this website

I was born February 1 1982 and I’m year of the Rooster! Year of the Metal Rooster to be exact.

Why Metal? Not just Rooster? Well, apparently, Chinese zodiac signs also bears the elemental sign. The five elements are:

• Wood
• Fire
• Earth
• Metal
• Water

I am not an expert on this so I’ll leave you with these links to help you understand the elements:

• Five Element Theory of Chinese Philosophy
• China’s Five Elements Philosophy

But according to my Chinese friend, it is better to read about the Chinese Philosophy on books. Go check your local library for readings.

At least now I know that I am not born under the year of the dog. I am a ROOSTER!!!

Let’s see what it tells about me (Rooster Personality):

People born in a year of the Rooster are very observant. Hardworking, resourceful, courageous and talented, Roosters are very confident about themselves.

Roosters are always active, amusing and popular among the crowd. Roosters are talkative, outspoken, frank, open, honest, and loyal individuals. They like to be the center of attention and always appear attractive and beautiful.

Their continually seeking the unwavering attention of others annoys people around them at times.

Wow! I’m loving all these traits as a rooster!

My lucky numbers according to ChinaHighlights.com is 5, 7 and 8. And I always love the number 8. I was married on March 8.

How about you?!? Do you know  what you Chinese Zodiac Sign is? Do you know what is your lucky number or color? Are you going to be lucky this Year of The Fire Monkey?

I don’t really believe in aswang, kase hello, scientifically impossible sila..

Uhmmm not until I got pregnant with Baby (babies) #5. Tatlo na aswang chronicles ko 🙁 though I never really encountered the typical aswang portrayed on most movies and tv shows, my experiences led me to believe that there really are creatures that enjoy torturing pregnant women.

My Aswang Experiences

1st aswang experience:

It was during my 1st trimester.. maybe between 8-10 weeks. I had an eerie feeling that there is something wrong. That was late at night.. somewhere between 11 PM to 2 AM. The dogs are barking.. not, they’re howling. The kind of howl that seems like they’re chasing something. The howls went on, circling our street and the street parallel to us. Parang umiikot kung ano man ung nakikita nila or tinatahulan nila. It happened twice that night.

2nd aswang experience:

If not for my helper who comes from Roxas, I wouldn’t know all about aswang and how to fend them off.

It happened before a few days before Christmas. Around 10 in the evening, my  helper noticed a big dog circling the house. I checked on it on the door and as I move from our back door to the front door, the dog followed me. Parang masyadong maamo ung aso, I even asked my mother kung pinakain ba nya kase parang syang nag aantay na pakainin sya or something to that effect. As in nakatanghod sya sa akin and waiting for something. Usually pag tinaboy mo ang aso, natatakot tapos umaalis na, that one was different. Kakaiba talaga sya and it’s circling the house following me.

Binato ng asin ng helper ko and that’s the only time it left. After the incident my helper said I should be more careful specially after 6 PM. Aswang daw yung aso. She even gave me tips on how to fend of those kind of creatures.

3rd aswang experience: 

This happened just this morning. Pagkahatid namin sa mga bata, sa may gate ng bahay may nakaabang na aso. It’s not the same as the one from my 2nd experience but the look in their eyes are the same. Ganun din, sinusundan sundan nya ako.. but this time, hindi sya makapasok sa loob ng bakuran, punong puno kase ng bawang lahat ng bintana namin eh.

It was scary but I always pray to Mama Mary to guide and protect me so I know I’m safe. Even so, there is no harm in practicing some beliefs to fend of this kind of creature.

These are according to my friend (who’s family is from Visayas) and my helper who is from Roxas/ Capiz boundary.

1. Hide your pregnancy scent. According to my helper, aswangs love the scent of a pregnant women (specially first trim and last trim and babies below one month old).Hide that scent from them by rubbing calamansi extract on your stomach.
2. Hide your pregnancy from them by wearing black underneath. Wear black panty or black camisole.
3. Always have garlic on your bag when you go out.
4. Put garlic around your house, specially on the window.
5. Put rock salt (not iodized salt) around your house.

Here are some other ways to fend off aswang according to my FB friends:

• Aside from bawang at asin, keep something sharp and pointed by your bed side (-Annalyn)
• Pag may tiktik, minumura ng Tatay ko para umalis bukod sa may asin din sa bintana si Ate. (-Tetcha)
• May asin saka walis tambo ako sa bintana namin. Di ko inaalis, nandun pa din til now. Nung buntis ako may bawang ako lgi sa waist nakatali. (-Kath)
• If alam nyo yung tanim na san jose, nabibili sa may Quiapo. Pwede nyio ilagay may bintana nyo (-Grace)
• Wear black panty up to your waist to cover your belly button. (-Angie)
• Aside sa asin and bawang dapat daw ung attitude mo is mas matapang ka and di ka takot sa aswang/tiktik. (-Audz)

Naranasan nyo na ba aswangin? Heard the famous story of aswangs? Yep the one portrayed by Manilyn Reynes, my helper said it’s a true to life story. Even before the movie came out, my helper already knew about it since it is one of the oldest aswang story in Capiz. Do you believe in asawang?!?