Fasting

Salam Ramadhan everyone. I have been very busy for the past few weeks. Yes with my little business. Alhamdulillah... it is promising. Thank you to my dear friends for your supports. For my new readers, you might want to hop here & have a peek ;-)

This Ramadhan we have the sight of HB daily at the dining table during iftar & sahur. Something foreign in this household & we definitely enjoy it every minute. Yasmin & Wardah have no problems with fasting & waking up for sahur. One thing which hasn't changed is the menu they request for iftar. Both can't seem to agree with the same menu except for Roti John! However, this year I not only have to entertain to 2 girls but 3. Yes, my darling Balqis has started fasting this year.

Balqis will turn 6 this November & frankly, I didn't really expect to start training her yet. But having 2 fasting elder sisters, she decided to join us. It is very easy waking her up for sahur. She can really eat at the wee hour in the morning. Her first & second day, she managed until 1pm. Her sisters somehow encouraged her for declaring that as a day fasting ;-)

Last Saturday, she refused to eat at 1pm & at 3pm I asked her again whether she wanted to eat anything. Again she refused. After that I was the one who kept on briefing her on how many hours more to iftar. Balqis? She didn't even ask a single question on how long more to iftar. (Errr... perhaps she didn't have the chance coz I kept on providing her with the info ;-))

I made chicken curry that day. Nothing special to Balqis's taste buds. I really didn't expect for her to complete fasting. HB suggested to take her to the Ramadhan Bazaar & let her choose the food she wanted to eat. She agreed. But a 5-year-old girl is not very familiar with the foods at RB. Unlike their sisters who are both crazy over Roti John. (Seriously... what's so special of Roti John??) In the end, we ordered pizza. Balqis's favourite.

I don't know about your children but mine do not consume rice during iftar. They need to take something that is not rice first. Later at 9pm only they have their proper meal of rice, vegetables & any source of protein I cook (chicken normally wins over other things!)

On Sunday, my PIL & SIL's family came over for iftar. And Balqis made it until Maghrib. Good that my MIL brought Roti Jala & Kaya Durian. I just concentrated on the foods to complement the rice.

Today, she fasted again. With school & mengaji, I think it is a challenge for a 5-year-old girl. What more with the hot weather. Anyhow, she refused lunch. I thought she would be tired once she got home from mengaji. Yes, she did look less energetic but wanted to continue with fasting. Her request for iftar was Macaroni & Cheese.

As I was instructing my help to prepare the ingredients to cook, she informed that we ran out of cheese. How could I not fulfill Balqis's request. Obviously, I can't get Mac & Cheese at the RB. So off I went to the supermarkets at my area. All 3 I went to do not sell the cheese I normally use so no choice but to use sliced cheddar cheese.

As I was about to cook, noticed that we ran out of butter too... Hiyyaa!! So margarine, off you go in the pan. Made a smaller portion because I insist that they have a proper meal at 9pm. Guess what? Balqis complimented on my Mac & Cheese. The best she ever tasted, said she. Awww.....

For tomorrow, HB & I agreed not to let Balqis fast. She is still small & it is never compulsory for a child that young to fast. We have trained her & obviously fasting is just a walk in the park to her. We will let her fast on weekends. As for now Balqis dear... you concentrate on fasting half day & let your sisters do the calculation of how many days you really achieve this year. Remember Kak Yasmin & Kak Wardah... half plus half is a day ;-)