Being Nooraina

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Naail is well, and quite comfortable now after our transition. He is happy and doing so well. I’m a proud mummy.

I’ve taken my experiences from Day 4 to 12 and I am making one post because it has been the same from day 4 onwards.
The pain is easing up as the days go by but it is not completely clear and comfy yet I still have to sleep on my back. It’s still a bit sensitive sleeping on my side.

I haven’t been expressing at all because I’m scared of stimulating milk production. That won’t be helpful at all. So I’ve just been using a hot water bottle throughout the day to help ease the pain a bit. It’s actually really helped. Now that winter is coming in it works out perfectly. Two birds, one stone. I’ve always wanted to use that phrase!!! Silly!

The porridge before bed is helping Naail a lot. He has refused drinking milk from a bottle. I’ve tried Nido growth milk. Not having that. I’ve tried fresh milk. Not that either. I’ve tried normal full cream. Nope. He just refuses any of it.

So I’ve just settled with water and see as we go along if he takes it later on. So stress because he is all happy and content. He does love eating yoghurt and drinking smoothies so that’s great. And he likes bananas and apples. And his favourite every morning now is his bowl of oats. Which I am pretty happy about. M.iyaad won’t go near oats. He is a coco pops and statwberry pops lover. My fussy eater is M.iyaad.

I have to admit that I really am missing the bonding time when I breastfed Naail. The stillness and calmness. It was relaxing. Naail didn’t shuffle about whilst breastfeeding, he sat still fed and when he was done would get up and get on with it. If it was nap time he would fall asleep on the breast. I do miss it. But I feel liberated at the same time.

To all the mamas out there and mum’s to-be, be prepared for nursing to start out as something so difficult, but if you hang in there let me tell you- which is hard to believe in the beginning- it is going to become something that will be really hard to let go. I know right- go figure.

But always do what is best and comfortable for you and your little one.

‘ To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.’

– Chinese Proverbs

I wish you all, the best journey’s- whatever they may be- All the best!!!

I hope you enjoyed this series. I had to stop breastfeeding suddenly for personal reasons which I wish to share with all of you, but at a later stage when I feel comfortable enough to do so.

Until the next post,

Always be kind.🌸

It’s me. Nooraina.
Being Nooraina 🌸

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Today I’m in pain. I’m still heavily engorged. The night was rough. My sweet boy only wanted me to hold him everytime he woke up and wanted to feed. He refused for my husband to console him. Just refused. Everytime he woke up- which was actually only 3 times- but to fall back to sleep took almost an hour everytime. Crying and fussing. My heart was aching the whole time. But I didn’t give in simply because when I tried giving in asking Naail if he wanted to drink, he refused. At this point I wish I still had his dummy. (Laughing!) Note to self- wean of breast before dummy. But today he woke up- and immediately was really hungry- so I gave him a bowl of oats. He ate two full bowls. Alhamdullilah. And was back to being my sweet, smiley, happy boy.

Today was definitely easier than yesterday, Naail has become more clingy and always wants to sit in my lap and cuddle. Which I don’t mind. I love it.

He took his naps really nicely, knowing that he has to lay his head on my shoulder and fall to sleep. Which he did so smoothly. I was feeling much better and not so bad anymore because he didn’t fuss to get to sleep. My sweet boy.

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What I was amazed by, which is expected, was how his appetite increased. He was starting to eat his food really well without fussing. He drank more water than usual. Expected. I gave him a small glass of juice with his lunch. And this time he wanted to feed himself. He fussed when I tried to help him. So I just let it be and let him do it all by himself.

In a day he was already becoming so independant. I hate the times when you realise your kids are growing up too fast. As much as I love reaching all the different milestones, when I reflect and look back I get really emotional because time goes by so fast, I tend to forget. Cherish each moment like there is no tomorrow.

Physically I am in a lot of pain, I took painkillers just to help a bit.

After we broke our fast, I fed the boys and I made some porridge for Naail to give him just before he had to go to bed. I am just seeing whether this will help sleep longer and not get too hungry.

After eating his porridge he slept really nicely, better than yesterday- he didn’t fuss as much. Fingers-crossed he sleeps better tonight.🤞

Until tomorrow- 👉 Day 3.

Always be kind.🌸

It’s me. Nooraina.
Being Nooraina 🌸

Having to stop breastfeeding has been the hardest thing I have ever done as a mother. This is a series of my day to day experiences weaning Naail off breastfeeding. I noted down how I felt everyday throughout this process. This experience took 12 days before all was well and comfortable again.

Day 1

Brutal, brutal, brutal. My heart has never been so sore breaking my little boy’s heart. The cry. So intense. This is so hard. Different stages we go through. I wasn’t sure if my heart could take any more and I would just give in. This is painful physically and emotionally.

I made the decision to stop breastfeeding cold Turkey! I went into the weaning process unprepared, but I have been telling my little sweet boy about what’s soon going to happen, but at the time I didn’t think it would happen this soon. He definitely didn’t understand completely.

( Disclaimer: Everyone has their own opinion and ways of doing certain things when it comes to their children. Many will not agree with how I’ve gone about doing this but It is a decision I have made. I just want to be honest throughout my journey being a mum, the proud moments, the mistakes, the sad moments. All of it. There is no room for judgement here. I just wanted to put this out there. We are all here trying our best and we are doing a hell of a great job. You go Super Mamas.)

Naail was fine the whole morning until nap time at 10am. Our routine is to breastfeed and he will fall asleep to take his nap. My sister-in-law told me that she had put pepper on her nips and told her daughter that they had gone bad. Poor little girl never wanted to go near his. mamas breasts again. So I thought I’d try the same thing. It worked. I revealed that my nips had gone bad and he was so concerned for me it was the most adorable thing but soon after he realised ‘how am I going to fall asleep without my dose of gold goodness’. He was restless and moaning for a few minutes, but soon after singing some Qasidas (arabic poems) and rocking him in my arms he dozed off into a peaceful sleep. My heart was so sore though, I kept on apologizing while singing to him for putting him through this but assuring him that mummy loves him.

I felt really bad and almost gave in, but held it together so that we could get this process over with as quick as possible.

Throughout the rest of the day he didn’t ask once to breastfeed, until it was time for nap #2 at 4pm. It was always hard for him at nap times because he always relies on feeding to put him to sleep.

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But I did the same thing I did before, sang and swayed, and he dozed off. But when he awoke he was super clingy than I have ever experienced with him. My heart was almost in pieces, I was on the cusp of tears because I was feeling so bad. All I was thinking about was, What have I done? What is he feeling? I made the worst decision! And on top of all this my breasts were becoming engorged and swollen and slightly painful. Emotional overload.

I have a high threshold for pain- Alhamdullilah- so I wasn’t so worried about the physical changes happening to my body. I told myself, we will deal with that after he goes down for the night.

Putting him down for bed time, was the longest. He layed in my arms, tossing and turning, moaning, occasionally crying, obviously because he didn’t know how to put himself to sleep. But all I kept doing was singing and swaying and holding him super close, massaging his head and keeping myself relaxed so that the calm energy would pass through to him. And I mean it took me an hour and a bit to get him to sleep but he finally dozed off. I smothered him with so many kisses and told him mummy loves him so much.

‘Just be prepared for a long and uncertain journey. The good stuff doesn’t come easy.’

– Tim Westergren

I was very surprised and proud with myself. I didn’t break down into tears, even when I felt like I was about to. I persevered and made it through Day 1.

Let’s see how we get through the night!

And may tomorrow be better for him. Inshallah (God willing).

Next up 👉 Day 2.

Always be kind🌸

It’s me. Nooraina.
Being Nooraina 🌸

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This is an appreciation post that goes out to all the amazing and beautiful moms out there who are killing it everyday. We don’t get told this enough or even at all but ‘You’re doing a great job!!!’

Being a mom is so difficult most of the times but so rewarding. We are constantly making decision as to what is best for our kids, for our family. It does sometimes catch up and becomes overwhelming but we have this secret super power that enables us to recharge instantly, get back up, get it together and go on. It’s a marathon that never ends.

After having M.Iyaad it took me quite sometime to adjust, with breastfeeding issues and him becoming slightly colic, I was overwhelmed instantly. I was, firstly exhausted, and on top of that I was always in panic mode. I was not calm at all. I was very emotional as well. I definitely experienced those post partum blues during my confinement period.

Normally I am so adaptable to any given situation, but motherhood showed me otherwise. Laughs!!

I thank Allah (swt) for my support system. Alhamdullilah. Which I am so grateful for, everyday. Without the support from my family the situation would have been so much different.

Motherhood for me is and up and down situation, one minute I feel like I have every single thing under control and I tell myself ‘this isn’t so bad!!’ and the next minute I make a 360 degree turn and everything is chaotic. When you add more kids to the equation it becomes even more topsy-turvy!!

 

‘ Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else’s happiness and wellbeing ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right even when you’re not sure what the right thing is… and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.’

– Donna Ball

I love this saying by Donna Ball simply because it is the raw truth.

I just feel the need to be brutally honest because a lot of the time, a lot of moms feel that they are alone, and that they are the only one’s who are going through a hard time, and putting themselves down. I am here to assure you ‘ You Are Not Alone!’

No one ever told me about the ‘mum guilt’ that you feel being a mother. It’s brutal. My heart is so soft to handle it yet I have to find away to deal with it without feeling like a failure at times. Regardless what the situation or decision I make I feel guilty. We are just protective and that’s natural. I remember beatinf myself up all the time when I had my first child. I was trying to live up to an expectation or an idea I had in my head of what my situation should be instead of accepting what it was. What I’ve learnt, two kids later, is that in that moment that I feel guilty, is to take a step back and Breathe. And to ask myself ‘ why are you giving yourself a hard time?’
Stop beating yourself up Nooraina. It can really overwhelm you.

I’ve learnt not to judge and compare myself to other moms, because we are all out here trying to do our best. And we are doing our best. All of us. I mean how nice would it be if we, as mothers, could all uplift one other, love each other and learn from one another. What a great world this would be.

 

‘ If you are a Mom, you are a Superhero, Period.’

– Rosie Pope

What I have found to be most important, and I’m not an expert, just a mother going through her own journey, finding little things that make things easier, is self-care and how important it is. What I mean by self-care is as simple as taking 30 minutes everyday, or however often you like, to invest in YOU. Read a book, take a bubble bath, get a mask on, take a walk, go get your hair done, get a colouring book, put your feet up, whatever it is that you enjoy- do it! It might be hard at first to squeeze it into your busy schedule but once this time becomes a priority- you will become the best version of yourself. Because we all know- exhausted mama isn’t a very happy mama. You will see yourself be more refreshed, more happy, you will just see yourself blossom- and this will definitely shine through and show others the importance of self care. But it is easier said than done. So get on it my beautiful Moms!

Let’s all try and be the best versions of ourselves, to help and encourage one another. It is so easy for us to lose ourselves and forget that we are important, especially us moms, trying to manage everything.

This is an old saying, and my mom always reminds me about it time and time again. If you think about it, it is so true, so significantly true.

So have your ‘ME’ time- all the time you need to be that Happy Mama. Because trust me all the things that stress you out in the day, will feel less taxing, allowing you to enjoy everyday. You will even smile more.

Be happy!!!

You got this Mama.

May Allah (swt) continue to bless our journey’s and make it easy for us all. Ameen Ya Rabbal Ala Min💖

Better late than never but ‘Happy Mother’s Day!’ ❤❤ to all you beautiful mothers out there. Just a reminder ‘That you’re amazing- you are doing a great job Mama!’

Breathe. Smile. Be Happy. You matter.

Until my next post,

Always be kind🌸

It’s me. Nooraina

Being Nooraina 💖

• 

This might be a long one, so sit back and enjoy the tea. This is for all the mamas out there and if you’re a mama-to-be.

It has come to that time where I’ve been thinking of weaning my son, Naail, off breastmilk and ultimately stop breastfeeding. He is 18months old now and I’ve been going back and forth with starting the process.

I want to rewind a little and take you through my journey with breastfeeding and my thoughts on this topic. I feel in today’s time the pressure to breastfeed your child is overwhelming. It’s just too much really!

I remember the first time I was pregnant and feeling this pressure of having to breastfeed, and that it’s a piece of cake, people telling me that I HAVE to, and just being pressured into doing it. When Mohammed Iyaad was born, he had difficulties latching on in the beginning and I remember being really emotional because obviously the pressure but deep down it was something I wanted to do and the question that I kept asking myself ‘why was it easy for everyone but me?’ (Can I tell you a secret, it’s not easy!), so I got a lactation consultant to help me.

The annoying thing was when she was around, helping me, he would latch on and feed amazingly. But when she wasn’t around and I was having to latch him on by myself he would refuse and get so aggrivated. Long story, short! It was becoming to stressfull for me, which didn’t help at all, in terms of pumping the breastmilk and bottle feeding so I just made the decision to change to formula feeding. And at that time that was the best decision I made.

Second time around, the experience was completely different. I was more educated where breastfeeding was concerned, because throughout my second pregnancy I made sure to read up on everything to do with breastfeeding. So I was much more prepared, and generally the second time around you know what to expect so it makes things way easier.

As soon as I had given birth to Naail, he was handed to me and he immediately latched on, by himself, like a champ. Which made everthing so much easier. Like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. That is exactly what it felt like. I didn’t have to go through the process of learning how to latch because Naail did everything for me. Alhamdullilah.

I made lots of duas (prayers) that Allah(swt) make it easy for me and that I would be able to breastfeed atleast one of my kids. That’s how important it was to me. I was so happy. I can’t even explain the feeling. It was also a feeling of accomplishment I guess! And I can’t thank my support system enough for all their help. #blessed.

Everyone’s journey is different and mine was a roaler coaster ride, I won’t lie, there were times when I was like ‘ That’s it! I’m done.’ but the fighter in me didn’t allow that. Everytime I wanted to stop was when I was having difficulties like breast engorgement to having mastitus to cracked nips and so many other things which I’ve been told is part of the JOURNEY.

Breastfeeding for me is not an experience but a journey. That’s what I tell everyone. I’m quite frank when it comes to explaining what breastfeeding is all about. It’s not a walk in the park. It’s not easy at all. It’s the complete opposite. It can be quite stressfull in the beginning and I mean once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty amazing but I strongly feel that it is not for everybody, but it is definitely worth a try.

It is something you need to master, in my opinion, and it takes practice and perseverance to get it right. It also depends on your little miracle, and how they adapt to this process. But there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

I love this quote:

‘Breastfeeding is empowering. It’s an accomplishment that takes dedication I didn’t know I possessed.’

– Amy C

Personally, it is one of the hardest things that I’ve done, but the most rewarding. A lot of people told me initially it will come to you naturally. Nope! It doesn’t come naturally to everyone. It didn’t for me the first time around but was much easier with the second time. Alhamdullilah. As a mother, it is important for us to do what is best for our children, so never feel pressurised to do something your not comfortable with. I don’t have a problem with formula feeding, bottle feeding or breastfeeding. As long as baby is fed and healthy is all that matters to me really. That’s it! Fed is best.

Breastfeeding became a very special time for me, I enjoy it when all is going well. Which is most of the time. The bond that you share and that particular moment is like no other.

Putting aside all the speed bumps I encountered, I’ve really enjoyed it and I think that is why I am finding it difficult to end this journey with Naail.

It’s a sense of letting go that I am not 100 percent ready for. I thought it would actually be really easy, like a ‘finally!’ moment for me but it’s so far from that. I’m not sure if this is normal! Laughs.

I keep telling myself ‘he turns 2 in November, you’ve got plenty of time!’

I would love to know what emotions other mums experience when going through this process. Comment below your experiences with breastfeeding and how you decided when it was time to stop.

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After this post I’m still indecisive about it. But I guess I will wean him off when it’s the right time, I will eventually get around to doing so.

I hope you all have enjoyed this post. My goal is to inspire people, I mean how fulfilling would it be if someone told you ‘Because of you I didn’t give up’.

This post has been a little more personal than usual but hopefully you’ve had a great cup of tea.

Until the next one,

Always be kind🌸

It’s me. Nooraina

Being Nooraina 💖

• 

This is my take on a chicken tagine that my mother-in-law makes with green olives. What I love about making this dish is simply the aroma that develops when cooking it and of course the amazing flavours when eating it.

You should know me by now, with kids running around and always needing my complete attention, I like my cooking to be quick and easy.

This recipe can be done in a tagine or simply in a pot. If you’re going to use a tagine please do make sure to use a heat diffuser when cooking to avoid damaging the tagine. We wouldn’t want it to crack!!!

For the marinade (chermoula):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• Coriander and Parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• Saffron threads
• 50ml warm water

For the tagine/pot:

• 2kg chicken pieces ( or legs and thighs)
• 2 onions, grated/ finely chopped
• Green olives
• Olive oil

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl.
• Pour over the chicken and mix well. Ensure that all chicken pieces are covered in the chermoula.
• Leave to stand for about 2 hours or leave to marinade overnight. ( I prefer marinating a day before cooking this dish)

Setting the tagine/pot:

• Drizzle olive oil at base of the pot
• Place grated onions on top of the oil
• Sprinkle a little salt and turmeric over the onions
• Then place chicken pieces nicely over the bed of onions
• Add a little water to the bowl the chicken was marinating in, to get any leftover chermoula and add over the chicken

Now it is time to cook this beauty!!!

• Remember to use a heat diffuser when using a tagine.
• Place your pot on medium heat and cook until liquids start to simmer
• Lower the heat and cook until chicken is tender
• Add olives and simmer for 15 minutes to reduce the sauce until thick

Serve immediately with fries or a lovely baguette.

Bismilla! Enjoy.

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Until the next one,

Always be kind🌸

It’s me. Nooraina

Being Nooraina💖

• 

Before I got married my brother, Mohammed Nabeel, went to Morocco to study his Hifdh al Qur’an ( to memorize the Qur’an) and this was the time my mum and I were exposed to Moroccan cuisine. My mum had bought tagines from there and brought it back home, she bought a few Moroccan cook books and there we were ready to explore this cuisine.

‘ The capacity to learn is a gift, the ability to learn is a skill, the willingness to learn is a choice.’

– Brian Herbert

After marrying my husband and living in Morocco for four months I got to know a bit more of this cuisine, from savoury to sweet, the common spices always used, when certain dishes are eaten, how they should be served and the list goes on.

What I love about Moroccan cuisine is the use of fruits and nuts in there dishes.

So today I am going to share an extremely easy Baghrir recipe with you.

Baghrir is known as ‘the pancake with 1000 holes’. This is what differentiates it from other pancakes.

Normally they are dipped or drizzled with a honey-butter sauce but can also be served with cream cheese and jam.

They are most popular for breakfast or even as a treat at tea time. But since we are currently in Ramadhan (9th month of the Islamic calender) I’ve started making them for Iftaar (fast break).

I hope you enjoy this quick and easy recipe.

You will need:
• 1 3/4 cups fine semolina
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp dry instant yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 750-900ml lukewarm water

Place all the ingredients and750ml of water into a blender. Blend until combined. Keep adding the rest of the water, a little at a time, and mix until you reach the desired consistency. The batter should be thin, about the same consistency as a crepe.

Transfer the batter to a bowl and cover with a cloth, then leave to rest for 20 minutes.

Heat a nonstick pan on medium heat. (I spray my pan with non-stick baking spray ‘Cook N Bake’ )

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Stir the batter and pour 1/2 cup of it into the center of the hot pan.
The batter will spread evenly by itself.
You will notice tiny holes forming beginning to form.

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Baghrir is only cooked on the one side, so don’t flip it. You will know it’s done when the surface is no longer wet. The top should be completely dry.

If bubbles are not forming when frying the pancakes, this could mean that your batter is too thick and/or your batter has not proved enough.

But don’t worry! Breathe… I got you! Just add a couple of tablespoons of warm water and leave the batter to proof for an extra 15 minutes. 

Quick and easy. Blend and Fry. Enjoy!

I serve mine with a quick butterscotch sauce.

For the sauce you will need:
Golden syrup
Honey
Butter

Boil these together for a few minutes and you have an amazing sauce.

After I cook my baghrir I normally sprinkle a little castor sugar over the pancakes but this is completely optional.

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There you have it folks!!

Have a go at these lovely pancakes!!

Until my next post,

Always be kind🌸

It’s me. Nooraina.
Being Nooraina.💖

Welcome back to my blog post, for those who are new, Welcome.

So this is a continuation from my previous post ‘Keeping your skin healthy’ post. Go check it out!

I basically wanted to go through remedies that help me when I have sudden breakouts. This will be short and sweet.

I’ve never had a huge problem, Alhamdulilah, with breakouts and pimples but now and then I do get a spot or two and these are the things I use to treat them.

These three products are what I use to treat my breakouts:

• Epoch Glacial Marine Mud Mask
• Witch Hazel and Tea Tree oil Toner by Thursday Plantation
• Aloe vera gel with tea tree oil by ESI

I simply use these products because they work so well in treating and getting rid of the pimples quickly. The aloe gel helps with clearing any scars as well so it’s a win win situation with this trio.

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The Epoch Marine Mud Mask is part of the range I stock, and I’ve been using it for about 8 months now and I love it.

This is when I just need a quick shock treatment to clear any pimples and remove any impurities and remove any dead skin cells in my skin.

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So I don’t use the mask daily, it’s only if I have stubborn pimples that are taking forever to go away. I apply the mask either on my face completely or just on the affected area.

In place of my normal toner and aloe gel I would use the two mentioned above until my spots have cleared then I go back to using what I would normally use which you can read on my previous post: Keeping Your Skin Healthy.

That’s all there is to it. Simple is what I like😁

If you have a solid yet gentle routine for your skin with great ingredients- your skin will thank you.

Until my next post

Always be kind💖

It’s me. Nooraina.
Being Nooraina. 🌸

After my three pregnancies my hormones went a little off the trolley, so that took a toll on my skin. Ever since then I have been trying to find the perfect products for my skin.

When I was 16, I started using a range of products from Neutrogena and I loved them. They were perfect for my skin. I used the same products and I never changed it up because I have always been that person who, If I found something that worked, I stuck to it!

I used this range up until my first pregnancy. After giving birth to Mohammed Iyaad my skin became a bit more prone to breakouts especially on my forehead, and when the pimple eventually cleared they left marks behind.

I remember watching a youtuber and few other influencers going on about a range called, African Extracts Rooibos, and how affordable it was. So I decided to hop on to the trend and try them out. These products smelt so amazing and I loved using them. Thinking about it now, I am not sure why I stopped using them exactly.

Oh yes! I remember now. I was browsing through the internet looking for the best product to use for sunburn, scars, cuts etc. And I came across a whole post on Aloe Vera Gel. Now I wasn’t browsing to find something for my skin, because I was content with the range I was using, but when I read up on Aloe Vera and its benefits my reaction was ‘Oh my! I have to get me some Aloe Vera Gel’.

So the next day I immediately went to the health shop and I came across a brand called ESI.

I have never looked back ever since.

I promise you this stuff is amazing and versatile. I don’t use a cleanser anymore. I knoooow, shocking right! I simply use water to wash my face every morning.

Now what I’ve started using recently, as a toner, is Witch Hazel and Rose Water. I wish I had used this a long time ago. Funny enough my Nani always spoke about how she always used witch hazel on her skin and never got any pimples. But I never took note as to try it, but I wish I had.

Witch Hazel and Rose water are a power couple. Together they help tone and tighten your skin and reduces redness and inflammation of the skin. This combo is great for those who have sensitive skin, like me. This duo has numerous amount of benefits. I am so overly exited about it. And using it as a toner is actually much better than using chemical based toner which might dry out your skin.

My Basic Facial Routine Every Morning:

• Firstly I wash my face simply with water and pat dry with a face cloth
• I tone my face with Witch Hazel and Rose Water
• Apply ESI 99.9% Aloe Vera gel to my face
• Then lastly I apply my makeup for the day

My Facial Routine every night:

• I remove my makeup with the Garnier Micellar cleansing water ( I either use the one for sensitive skin or the one that is oil-infused)
• Tone with Witch Hazel and Rose water
• Apply the aloe vera gel to my face
• Spritz my face with Nu Skin’s moisture mist for extra hydration- this is a product that I stock.

I didn’t want this post to go on too long beause I can be quite the rambler, so on my next post I’ll be taking you through my remedies for those sudden breakouts.

Stay tuned!

Until my next post,

Always be kind

It’s me. Nooraina

Being Nooraina

I thought I would not have made this post in time, it has been quite a hectic couple of days but Alhamdullilah here I am finally writing this post for you. A long one, but worth the read. I promise.

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Ramadhan is only a day or two away and I feel the need to speak about how special this month is, for me in any case. It is my favourite month of the year, to be honest. Till today I cannot describe the emotion and feelings Ramadhan brings. But I feel once the month is over the ambiance disappears, that’s how special it is. I am not sure if that makes any sense. But I am trying to explain how amazing this particular month is as best as I can. I get quite excited talking about it actually. I am so happy right now.

Ramadhan, to me, is a month of reflection, generosity and devotion. For those of you who don’t know what Ramadhan is, it is the ninth month of the Islamic calender. It is the month in which Muslims around the world fast from dawn to sunset.

For me this month is quiet and meditative in a way. Sort of like embarking on a journey to get closer to Allah. Don’t get me wrong, getting closer to Allah should be something we strive for everyday, but in Ramadhan it’s just different. It’s nothing short of beautiful. ( Errr I don’t think I am doing a good job of explaining – It’s difficult.)

But I always get a warm feeling in my heart when we this particular month approaches and I don’t get this feeling at any other time during the year. It amazes me. Allahu Akbar (Allah is great).

This month is not only beautiful and magical but it teaches us to be grateful and thankful for all the blessings bestowed upon us, to be more aware of those in need. Helping others goes a long way. Generosity, these days, is not something you find easily.

Ramadhan reminds us to give and help those who are less fortunate and be kind to one another- because let’s face it- it is hard to come by. Most people forget- in today’s world- that being kind is free and effortless.

With Ramadhan approaching, in our household, the preparations have taken over. Folding of the pies, to boiling up all of those exotic and delicious looking chutneys, to stirring the pot with the samoosa filling in it and the list goes on.

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I enjoy this time greatly, particularly, because it is precious time that I get to spend with my mother, who through her life’s journey has become such an amazing cook. She has such a love for it that she makes look so effortless. She has learnt all the tricks of the trade when it comes to cooking. So going back to this special time that I get to spend with her, I get to take in all this knowledge that she has to offer. Also I love hearing all the ‘back in the day’ types of stories that my mum has to tell. You all know those!!! All the memories she has about her, at my age, with her mum. Precious.

I cherish these times and hope that I will be able to pass on knowledge I’ve received from both my parents to my kids.

I think I’ve gotten way off topic. (I get that from my Nani- we love to babble on- we call it ‘Going from Cape to Cairo’- Haha) But that’s alright. Let’s jump right back into it.

There is always one thing that I like to achieve every Ramadhan and that is to read and complete the Qur’an before the month is over. I have achieved this, Alhamdullilah, for the past two years now with the encouragement of my husband.

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It becomes a very exciting topic in our household as everyday as everyday we all tend to ask each other ‘how far have you gotten?. We all try to do it together, which adds to the encouragement to complete the Qur’an.

Ramadhan is simply BEAUTIFUL.

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It is also very different around the world. I have had the opportunity of experiencing this Holy month, for just a day, in Morocco. It had been two years since I had been back there, we happened to be travelling there during the last 3 days of Ramadhan. All I remember was, it was eighteen hours of fasting, which I have never done before, in the heart of summer. Morocco’s heat is searing. And with there being a bakery right below us doesn’t help at all. I remeber at the end of the day, when Iftaar (fast break) was approaching, all I wanted was water, nothing else, just water. It was quite amusing for everyone.

I couldn’t have imagined being there for the whole month of Ramadhan, although the atmosphere is amazing, fasting there is not easy. But I guess it’s because I am not used to it, fasting that long that is. And now that Ramadhan has been in winter, here in Cape Town, for the past couple of years, to me it just feels like skipping lunch, because the days are short.

The month of Ramadhan is that in which was revealed the Qur’an.

-the guidance to mankind, and clear proofs of guidance and criterion of right and wrong.

Qur’an 2:185

To all those fasting during this glorious month, as the Fajr (morning prayer) adhan ( call to prayer) begins and the first fast begins May Allah (swt) bless you with happiness and grace your home with warmth and peace. May all our fast be accepted. Ameen Ya Rabbal Ala Min.

Ramadhan Mubarak To You All.❤

Until my next post.

Always Be Kind.

It’s me. Nooraina

Being Nooraina Xx

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