Living Arrows | In The Swing Of Things

 'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran.

Why does no one ever mention how emotional it is when your child uses a 'big girl swing' for the first time? I watched Iris sitting on the swing, moving it herself and I thought 'where did my baby go?'. I read a blog post earlier in the week about how as parents, we don't know when 'the last time' is. I can't remember the last bottle I gave her or the last nappy I changed and now here I am not knowing that her previous time in the baby swing may have been her last.

Living Arrows | Happy Mothers Day

 'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran.

How has everybody's first week back at school been? I do hope everyone had fun and settled back in okay. Iris has been at preschool throughout the lockdown so I didn't expect things to change that much but the preschool is a lot busier now- I didn't realise quite how many of the regular children hadn't been going. It's worrying for me as it means a higher Covid risk but for Iris it's been a wonderful opportunity to make new friends.

A Day In The Life Of An Autistic Woman

Initially this post was about the pandemic and how having autism has impacted on my experiences throughout the pandemic but as I began writing I realised that I can't really detail how the pandemic has affected me if you don't already know how my autism effects me. I've written a bit about how I got my autism diagnosis, shared my experiences growing up undiagnosed in a mainstream school and I've talked about how autism impacts on dating and holidays but I've never really shared how it impacts me on a daily basis. I've never shared an 'ordinary' day with autism. So here it is, the thoughts, feelings and emotions of an autistic mother on a 'normal' day. 

Living Arrows | Cheers To Fake Spring!

      'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran.

Last week's Living Arrows post was entitled 'sliding into Spring'. Apparently that was a big ol' lie because this week has seen the weather back to freezing so the big coats, the hats and scarfs and the flasks are back! 

Living Arrows | Sliding Into Spring

 

'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran.

It's been another week of park trips and long walks for us. Not much will change for us on the 8th March as Iris has been attending pre-school anyway but I am so happy that children are returning to school, as much as the pandemic is far from over I think children have lost enough time with friends and enough education now. If we're going to start anywhere I think school is the best place to start. There's been a lot of talk about how can it be safe to let 30 children back into one room but I know for a fact that there will be more than 30 people in my local Wetherspoons when it opens so schools in comparison will be lesser numbers mixing than shops and pubs.

Books We've Been Reading | February 2021| PLUS! WIN A MYSTERY BOOK BUNDLE!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to read. It's something I've always enjoyed and I think it's so important that we grow and nurture a love of reading for future generations. We are really missing our trips to the library but thankfully we have a rather hefty children's book collection and I've been making the most of our libraries online ebook loan service to keep my kindle well stocked with reading material. Here's what we've been reading this month....

#BWBR Book Link Up | March 2021

 

Reading has always been a big part of our family life. I read so much as a child and my daughter appears to be following in my footsteps. Each month we aim to share the Books We've Been Reading and I thought it might be nice to have a nosey through the books that others have enjoyed. As a reader I'm always on the hunt for new reads and as a parent I always want to know what books to keep an eye out for in the library so whether it's children's books or adults books I'd love for you to take part in this link up and help us all to grow our 'to be read' piles!

Living Arrows | Jump Around

 'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran.

I bought a trampoline. For some reason I've always disliked trampolines, I think they ruin the aesthetics of a garden in a way that a nice wooden play house doesn't. My dream was to have a lovely coordinated play area where my child can potter and entertain themselves. I set my expectations far too high.

The Doll Factory By Elizabeth MacNeal

Title: The Doll Factory, Author: Elizabeth MacNeal, Pages: 384, Published by: Picador, Publication Date: 2nd May 2019, ISBN: 978-1529002393

Iris and Rose spend their days creating dolls for the oppressive and most often comatose, Mrs Salter. Though fortunate to be employed, the passionate and creative Iris longs for more than the monotonous life she currently leads. Iris yearns to escape, to paint more than doll faces. She wishes to paint freely and with no constraints- to be an artist in her own right.

Could a chance encounter with Silas Reed, collector, taxidermist and prop creator for the Pre-Raphealite Brotherhood set Iris on the path to freedom? Will love, life and art blossom? Or is death and decay the only fate for those that wander the dark, dank streets of Victorian London?

Living Arrows | N-ICE Weather For A Walk

'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran.

This picture looks like she's about to drop some sick hip hop beats (I cringed writing that- I feel so old!). Hasn't it been a cold week!? The thermals and flasks have definitely been used. I've been feeling a bit rubbish this week due to an ear infection and whilst I'd have preferred not to go out this week, the truth is we struggle if we don't get out. 

Autism & Relationships: How Autism Impacts On Dating

So Valentines Day, there's no escaping it, even if you don't actively partake in it there's hearts, flowers and declarations of love everywhere you go. I thought about all the posts I could write, the gift guides, the 'how to's' and the 'top ten romantic...' which are all great ideas but they felt a little dishonest, how can I talk about those things when I haven't acknowledged the thing Valentines Day is mostly about, relationships, or more specifically romantic relationships. Having Aspergers effects all aspects of every relationship I have but today I've decided to open up about how having Aspergers effects dating.

Living Arrows | There's A Tent In My Living Room

'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran.

I've got so many lovely photos from this week, glorious close ups from our many, many trips to the park, happy times feeding the ducks and jumping in muddy puddles but I wanted to share this picture today because let's face it- this is how we've been spending most of our days. 

Feature | Bargain Shopping At Pound Toy*

I have to confess that I absolutely love a bargain. In a pre-covid world you would often find me browsing the aisles of my local pound shop and scouring the town's charity shops in search of a bargain. Now shopping for leisure is a somewhat banned activity I've found myself venturing online to get my fix of bargains and one place I cannot get enough of is Pound Toy!

Living Arrows | Simple Pleasures

 'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran.

It was a slow and steady week for us last week. Daddy had holidays to use before the end of the month so he took a week off work and we just hung out around the house, went for a daily walk and just played and relaxed at home. 

Books We've Been Reading | January 2021 | Plus WIN! A MYSTERY BOOK BUNDLE!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to read. It's something I've always enjoyed and I think it's so important that we grow and nurture a love of reading for future generations. We are really missing our trips to the library but thankfully we have a rather hefty children's book collection and I've been making the most of our libraries online ebook loan service to keep my kindle well stocked with reading material. Here's what we've been reading this month....

NEW! Book Based Blogger Link Up. NOW OPEN!

Reading has always been a big part of our family life. I read so much as a child and my daughter appears to be following in my footsteps. Each month we aim to share the Books We've Been Reading and I thought it might be nice to have a nosey through the books that others have enjoyed. As a reader I'm always on the hunt for new reads and as a parent I always want to know what books to keep an eye out for in the library so whether it's children's books or adults books I'd love for you to take part in this link up and help us all to grow our 'to be read' piles!

Living Arrows | Groundhog Day

 

'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran.

Here we are again. At the park. Wow! it's really feeling like groundhog day isn't it? I don't really have much to say this week. It's been a tough one, emotions are high, patience is thin. We're just about keeping our head above water. We've played, read and snacked. We've waved at great grandparents through windows and ordered them jigsaw puzzles to keep them sane. We're missing family so deeply.

Living Arrows | Snow F*cks Given!

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran. 

I genuinely don't believe there is a better picture to sum up childhood than this one! Complete abandonment of all social protocols and just throwing herself into the snow. I love how this picture captures a child's freedom, impulsivity and utter joy. I think we could all do with giving into to our childhood desires at the minute, letting go, or at least loosening the expectations we place on ourselves.

Books I Read In 2020

Reading has always been a passion of mine. Since a very young age I was reading independently and disappearing into worlds of fantasy and wonder. Books were an escape from my sometimes scary, often confusing reality. As I got older I began to read less, not because I didn't want to, it was more that as I got older, life got fuller and things such as 'self care' and reading for pleasure took a back seat. One positive of the Coronavirus pandemic is that it allowed me to prioritise myself a little bit more and perhaps I needed to escape reality again. I've spent the last six months reading a few chapters before going to sleep and it has been so beneficial. When I read I sleep better, feel more relaxed and have something to get excited about. Nothing beats going to bed on 'new book day'. The joy of perusing my virtual collection and choosing a new adventure is so exciting. My enthusiasm also leads me to talk more. Seems silly but I find talking about books to be therapeutic. If i'm struggling with my mood you can ask me what i'm reading and i'll instantly come alive. It's been a real pleasure rediscovering my love of reading and I wanted to share with you the books I've discovered throughout 2020.

Living Arrows | Ice Ice Baby!

  

'You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth' Khalil Gibran. 

New year, new lockdown! We're one of the lucky ones, Iris is in Early Years and still able to attend her pre-school, though for how long is anyone's guess! Thankfully her setting is very small, just one room with a handful of children so I don't feel too concerned for her safety. There are daily temperature checks, new rules regarding things going in and out of the building and as much outdoor play as possible which suits Iris just fine as she's always outside whatever the weather!