Flavour Of The Day With Noora

Being The Step-Mama

If you ever thought that being a mama was hard, then you have clearly never tried to be a step-mama.
I am the step-mama of a wonderful 8-year-old girl and believe me when I say that it is by far, the most difficult and important job that I have ever had.

The rules are all different when you have a step-child; the standards are all unbalanced. With my own son, I can be angry, have a bad day, plan some time away and discipline, guilt and worry free.

On the other hand, when it is your step-child, you, your moods, and your methods, fall captive to a young personality that still does not know its own strength.

8-years-old, as I have come to realise lately, is a difficult age. I need help and advice. Anyone?

Flavour Of The Day With Noora

This post baby weight is driving me crazy. I have about 7 kilos to reach my previous weight and it seems like they are here to stay.

I am working out almost every day of the week and have not lost a single gram. However, my measurements are going down bit by bit, a fact I am not so pleased with either.

I have literally fasted from all chips and junk food and am allowing myself only reduced amounts of carbs and sugars. I don't get what is wrong and why I am unable to lose the weight.

To make matters worse, my trainer keeps on telling me I have the strength of an old lady, referring to an knee injury that has left me struggling for the past 15 years. I'm just feeling bad about myself and how the past three years and two pregnancies have taken their toll on my body. I don't know what to do next...

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My Melting Mama- Heart

I'm a pretty tough mama, I like rules and boundaries. I like my kids to eat and sleep on schedule, punish when they are out of line and I rarely give in.

With Yousef's foul mood lately, I think I am being even harder on him. But, there is one thing that is melting my mama heart. The way he runs to me when I pick him up from nursery makes me want to cry every time. No matter what he is doing, playing or crying, the moment he sees me, he leaves everything, curls his lip in preparation for a cry and puts his hand out, running with all his might. The sight is so innocent and adorable. And the one thing he keeps on repeating is: "mama coming." On the way back from school, when we are at home and a few times later in the day, "mama coming".

How is it possible that our kids can be this innocent and emotionally dependant on us, it's heart-breaking. 

Flavour Of The Day With Noora

Locked in the Restroom

Lately, my two kids (22 months and 3 months) have been driving me mad! They wake me up about 4-6 times a night, leaving me angry, sleep deprived and in many cases, in tears.

My escape...books! Lots and lots of them; no matter how exhausted I am, a book can surely turn my mood around. Lately however, there has been NO TIME and finishing the one at hand seemed to take forever. So, when I was having a really bad day resulting from a long night, I locked myself in the bathroom with my book until I finished the last three chapters.

There I was, 28-years-old, a mother of two and a stepmother of one, behaving like a fugitive from my own kids. I cannot believe I reached that point but I just needed a break and the one place Yousef could not reach me was unfortunately, the restroom.

When exactly do kids start to self-entertain so I don't have to stoop so low :)

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Two- Year-Olds!

Life with Yousef is becoming pretty difficult. My little innocent boy has turned into a bundle of defiance. The answer to anything I tell him or ask him to do is "no". Put your shoes on, no. Let's wash your hands, no. It's time for a shower, no. Bedtime, no. Whatever it is, he has to refuse. And when things don't happen his way, he cries and screams. Another new habit which is making me want to scream.

It's so annoying and embarrassing when he does it in public. I don't know if it is a reaction to preschool, jealousy from Mona who is just starting to interact and be playful, or the "terrible twos", but this cannot be his real personality! He was so cute, obedient and well mannered.

What do I do? Ignore it?

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All the perks of pregnancy are unfortunately fading away! The thick hair, clear skin and strong nails are now going back to their not so healthy original state.

I'm not sure if it was the vitamins or the hormones that made the difference. However, I stopped the vitamins a month after delivery and now I wish I hadn't. Is it ok to keep on taking prenatal vitamins and folic acid or should I switch to regular vitamins? I never found that they have the same strong effect.

The real thing that is bothering me is losing the thick and healthy hair that came with the nine months of back ache, leg cramps and weight gain :) Any tips?

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I Need Sleep and Food

It's starting to feel like my 1 year and 10 month old son and my 3-month-old daughter have an evil plot against me designed to deprive me of sleep. They have impeccable timing and alternate when each wakes up. And of course Yousef has to add a "mama" call here and there which is just enough to wake me up but harmless enough to let him go right back to sleep.

On the other hand, this diet I am putting myself on is putting me even more on the edge. Mentally, I am becoming consumed with losing the post-baby weight and so I am going on very reduced portions. Add that to the lack of sleep and I am on no-energy by the time it is 10pm.

On the bright side, between the hours of 10pm-12am it is just me and my husband, engaging in adult conversation, and laughing about how hectic life has become in our household of 5! I have said it before and I will say it again, I cannot wait until they grow up...

Flavour of The Day with Noora

I Wish There Were Five

Every night at 9pm, the best word to describe the situation would be exhaustion. It is that time of day I get frustrated with mama-hood and wish there were five of me. One, would bathe and feed Yousef while the second would feed Mona and prepare her for bedtime. The third would have the ever lasting battle with Yousef to brush his teeth and go to sleep in his own bed rather than mama's. The fourth would enjoy an end-0f-the-day conversation with my husband who I barely see because of our hectic schedules. And finally the fifth would relax in a hot bath herself, watch some TV while sipping something hot, and go to sleep without worrying about how many times the kids will wake her up!

If only there were five, life would be a lot simpler and my friend wouldn't call me crazy for considering going back to work! I think that this phase I am in is, by far the hardest phase of mama-hood. Or so I hope. I can't wait until my babies grow up!

Flavour of The Day with Noora

Post-Babies Weight

Today, I found out (through a trainer) that my body is in bad shape and that I am in desperate need of "fat-loss". Three months after having Mona, I am still 6 kilos more than I was before her and 8 kilos more than I was before I had Yousef about 2 years ago.

After calculating the dates, I realised that I had been pregnant through the years 2010, 2011, and 2012; that is a total of 2 pregnancies in about 3 years! It's needless to say, my body paid a big price.

So there I was, listening to her tell me how high the fat percentage in my body is; I just wanted to scream. For the rest of the day, I fought every urge to grab a bag of chips, eat a little more bread, or put another spoon of sugar in my coffee. I have about 5-7 kilos to lose in 2 months.

Simply put, I miss the old me!

Flavour of The Day with Noora

I have decided to spend more time with my baby girl Mona, now 3 months old, no matter what it takes.

Yousef who is 1 year and 9 months, has occupied my life for 1 year and 9 months! Everyone around me has been telling me that I should not feel so bad about not giving Mona as much attention since Yousef is in an age where he can get jealous and truly "miss" me.

However, my mind and heart are being tormented all the time about not holding her enough, not being the one who feeds her or puts her to sleep all the time, and not giving her as much attention as Yousef.

I know it's different now with 2 babies, but I am going to do it no matter what! They are both sick now and so both need my attention, I hope I'm strong enough not to crumble after a few days...