We were expecting Faith’s AVSD (hole in her heart) operation to be in January. In early to mid October this was brought forward to November and within a few days we were then being called in to Glenfield Hospital in Leicester for the procedure to take place before the end of the month. One postponement later and the operation went ahead as planned the second time.
There are no words strong enough to express how incredibly thankful we are to the team at Glenfield Hospital – the outpatients department, everyone working in Ward 30, surgeons, PICU and everybody who supports them – for taking great care of Faith and fixing the hole in her heart and in the process shoring up her parents’ and siblings’ hearts too.
The second half of this year’s October may have gone in a slightly surreal blur but, thanks to the angels watching over Faith, both here and above, they gave her the strength to recover much quicker than expected and she was even home in time for Halloween and to see her brother, sister and daddy dress up for trick or treating.
Daddy was a zombie again, Luke quickly donned his choice of spider top on returning from school and Willow chose to accessorise her vampiric dress, ghost torch and claw treat bag with a fire fighter’s helmet, knight’s shield and explorer’s binoculars. Obviously.
Here’s hoping your mini monsters are happy and healthy enough to be behaving like little terrors this Halloween.
October 2017 is a very significant month which has lots of claims to fame.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Stoptober and Black History Month, it contains The Big Draw, World Space Week, Wool Week, National Knitting Week, British Egg Week, National Curry Week, Chocolate Week, Baby Loss Awareness Week, International Day of the Girl Child and International Babywearing Week, Apple Day, International Sloth Day and Halloween, to name but a few.
And not forgetting, most importantly, Daddy and Mummy Malpi’s birthdays and anniversary.
But, notwithstanding the significant number associated with my impending age celebration date, October 2017 is also important to us as it is Down Syndrome Awareness Month in the US.
In the UK Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week is held in March, encompassing the date of the 21st of the 3rd month as people with Down’s Syndrome (or Trisomy 21) have three copies of chromosome 21 but why wouldn’t we want to join in with our international community and dedicate a whole month to raising awareness, to “celebrate people with Down syndrome and make people aware of their abilities and accomplishments”?
Faith may have only been born just under nine months ago but she’s already achieved so much. She’s been able to breastfeed which we were told was unlikely, she has the most adorable chuckle, she attracts compliments wherever we go and has been signed up by specialist talent agency Zebedee Management, gives great cuddles, blows a fabulous raspberry, has lovely babble-y chats and she’s getting more and more mobile as she’s so determined to start exploring the world just like her big brother and sister.
And she’s certainly won the hearts of mummy, daddy, big brother and big sister.
I don’t want to consider what a world without my Faith would be like and I give thanks that, for the most part, we live in a country where people are kind and think that helping others should be the willing default option. When you give love you receive it in return and, if our as yet short introduction to the Down’s Syndrome community is representative, there’s a lot of love to go round.
October has always been my favourite month with birthdays, Halloween and an anniversary to celebrate and now it has a special relevance for my miniest mini too.
I might not be appreciating the start of the autumn season as much as I normally do due to the start of school but it does signify that Halloween is just around the corner and that still remains my favourite time of year.
In 2016 we marked the occasion with a themed family photoshoot with A. Rowan Photography which was great fun but, seeing as she’s taken her talent back to America, we’re going to have to keep an eyeball out for something else to do this year.
Fortunately there’s lots to choose from in and around Lincolnshire – you can take a walk around around a pumpkin patch or some haunted city streets or, if your toes tremble too much at the thought, then take the ghost train or bus. Whatever your deadly destination be sure to dress up to join in the frightening fun!
Some events need advance booking, there are only so many pumpkins in a pumpkin patch and, of course, all live (and undead) events are subject to change so be sure to click on the links to check the details and phone before travelling. And don’t forget to keep checking back in case we’ve added some more eerie entertainment to the list!
I can’t be the only family blogger who dreads her kids acting up when being asked to link up with someone.
When Adrian Rowan of A. Rowan Photo contacted The Mini Malpi to suggest a Halloween-themed photo shoot I jumped at the chance.
Based on Luke’s current giggly enthusiasm for all things Halloween and his posing skills developed during Lincoln Fashion Week and well honed in the following months, what could go wrong?!
Having been to see Justin Fletcher Live in the morning probably didn’t help Luke’s over-excitement levels and Willow was also feeling decidedly floppy after all the dancing and car journey and, with one being uncooperative and one being incredibly clingy, I was beginning to wonder if we’d wasted the photographer’s time.
But she quickly proved her skills as a family photographer coercing Luke into playing with her through the use of bubbles and he was soon keen to try out his different costumes and play around for the camera having great fun running around Hartsholme Park and exuberantly kicking through the leaves at the same time.
Prints, digital downloads, and canvases available at: http://arowanphoto.pixieset.com/malpassfamily/ Password protected album, access granted only to family/friends. (photo by A. Rowan Photo)
Prints, digital downloads, and canvases available at: http://arowanphoto.pixieset.com/malpassfamily/ Password protected album, access granted only to family/friends. (photo by A. Rowan Photo)
Prints, digital downloads, and canvases available at: http://arowanphoto.pixieset.com/malpassfamily/ Password protected album, access granted only to family/friends. (photo by A. Rowan Photo)
Prints, digital downloads, and canvases available at: http://arowanphoto.pixieset.com/malpassfamily/ Password protected album, access granted only to family/friends. (photo by A. Rowan Photo)
Prints, digital downloads, and canvases available at: http://arowanphoto.pixieset.com/malpassfamily/ Password protected album, access granted only to family/friends. (photo by A. Rowan Photo)
Willow was feeling the cold (although resolutely refusing to put her coat on) as well as being tired and clingy but in the end it was daddy’s decision not to be left out on the costume front that made Willow eager to join in too.
I love all the shots she took of both of them but am particularly impressed by the ones she managed to capture of Willow given her mood for most of the session, from the cutest of little smiles to the picture above that makes me wonder what she’s thinking of turning us all into!
If you’d like to capture some memories with your own mini monsters then Adrian is running more Halloween Mini Photo Sessions on Sunday, October 30th, at Hartsholme Park from 10am to 2pm. Booking is essential. Click here for further information.
As well as preserving some precious moments you’ll have lots of fun doing it!
Passion2Dance have a whole week of Halloween fun planned!
The Malpi household is a little bit keen on Halloween.
With mummy and daddy’s wedding taking place on October 31st some years back, their zeal for the ghoulish date definitely seems to have been passed on to the next generation if the recent excited giggling in the supermarket’s seasonal aisle followed by the enthusiastic trying on of masks and insistence on trying out the novelty decorations was anything to go by.
Fortunately we’re not the only ones who like dressing up at this time of year and here are just some of the events you and your mini monsters can take part in this year. Some need advance booking so be sure to click on the links to check the details.
The second half of this year’s October may have gone in a slightly surreal blur but, thanks to the angels watching over Faith, both here and above, they gave her the strength to recover much quicker than expected and she was even home in time for Halloween and to see her brother, sister and daddy dress up for trick or treating.
I might not be appreciating the start of the autumn season as much as I normally do due to the start of school but it does signify that Halloween is just around the corner and that still remains my favourite time of year.
Fortunately there’s lots to choose from in and around Lincolnshire – you can take a walk around around a pumpkin patch or some haunted city streets or, if your toes tremble too much at the thought, then take the ghost train or bus. Whatever your deadly destination be sure to dress up to join in the frightening fun!
