Christine McGuinness paid a touching tribute to her beloved twins Leo and Penelope on Tuesday as they celebrated their sixth birthday. Sharing a sweet throwback image on Instagram, the mum-of-three, who is married to Paddy McGuinness, can be seen perched next to the twins and her daughter Felicity, two, as they look out at a pond with their backs to the camera while enjoying a day at the park. Captioning the pic, Christine said: "Happy birthday to my amazing, beautiful, fabulous twins Leo and Penelope 6 today!!! You make me proud every day, you have taught me so much. I am forever grateful to be your mummy."
Happy birthday!
Christine and Paddy's twins were diagnosed with autism in 2017, with Christine revealing their diagnosis to the world on their fourth birthday. She shared on Instagram: "You amaze me every day, because you are beautiful inside and out, in an extra special way… I love you unconditionally, and I will encourage you both to embrace your autism. Because you are totally unique and fantastically awesome. All my love always, Mummy."
In April this year, the 31-year-old opened about the difficulties of parenting she faced with her husband. "When they first got diagnosed, we went and looked into it," she said on Good Morning Britain. "This is a lifetime condition, there's nothing that goes to fix it." She also revealed that Felicity has been showing signs of autism; however she is yet to be diagnosed and has to wait until she is at least three or four.
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So cute!
Christine added: "I thought, am I going to be a full-time carer forever. But it has got better through therapy, speech therapy and play therapy. It's been different than other parents, the first four years certainly - I feel terrible saying this - but I felt more like a carer not a mum. It's only the last year that things have got easier."
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Christine and Paddy have been married for eight years
She also went on to confess her surprise that the condition was passed down from herself and Paddy, saying: "I think it is hereditary. I really struggle with socialising, the food, beige food, I'm very fussy. I like things plain and I think it's in a bit of both of us." Her youngest daughter Felicity is believed to have the condition. "Every child is different," she noted. "Penelope didn't like to be held as a child. Felicity, because I understand it now - she's more happy. She does things like she tenses with excitement. She walks on tiptoes."
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