Paddy McGuinness and his wife Christine are celebrating a major family milestone. The couple have managed their first family holiday with their three children; four-year-old autistic twins Leo and Penelope, and baby daughter Felicity. In honour of the occasion, Christine took to Instagram on Sunday to share a very rare photo of their young family as they enjoyed a day out at the farm - although she took care to keep their faces hidden from view. "Happy Easter from my little chicks," she wrote alongside the sweet snapshot.
Christine McGuinness shared a rare photo of her three children on Easter Sunday
The following day – Autism Awareness Day – Christine and Paddy revealed just how much preparation had gone into their weekend away, with the Take Me Out star uploading a series of photos showing their car all packed up with items for their children. The 44-year-old wrote: "Being parents with autistic children, for us, family holidays have been a pipe dream until now! After 4 and a half years we've finally conquered a family holiday...to Preston!!! Ribby Hall Village to be exact.
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"We managed two days there, which for us was massive. We had to take so much stuff but to see our kids having fun was well worth it. We had our own little bungalow/chalet which was great. If you’re a parent dealing with autism on a daily basis please don’t give up hope on things like holidays. It was a hell of a long time getting there but we did it. Now all I need to do is sleep for a week!!! #easterholidays #autism #autismawareness #familyholiday #knackered."
Christine and Paddy McGuinness have enjoyed their frst family holiday with Leo, Penelope and Felicity
Christine, 30, also celebrated the event with her Instagram followers, uploading a selfie of the happy couple, which she captioned: "We did it!!! @mcguinness.paddy our first ever night away WITH the children! They coped so well with the change, very proud parents today #autismawareness Now we just need our first night away without the children!"
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Christine shared an Instagram selfie in celebration of the occasion
Both Paddy and Christine have worked hard to raise awareness for autism, and in a video for Autism Together last month, Christine opened up about the moment the twins were diagnosed with the condition. "When we were first told it turned our world upside down," she said. "I knew it was my purpose in life was to be their mum, but this made me want to be the best mum for them. I have so many hopes and dreams for our children. I want them to make friends at school, build relationships when they're older, and maybe have their own little families one day. I want them to live in a world where there's more understanding about autism."