I couldn’t even guess how many people have gone up to Veronika and myself in recent weeks, and asked Veronika what she would like for Christmas…

‘Have you seen Santa yet?’

‘What will/did you ask him for?’…

and each time I felt a little twinge….for a couple of reasons.

Veronika doesn’t seem to have any anticipation of Christmas, like other children her age.

and the other reason is she has never been able to say what she would like for Christmas, or her birthday for that matter….

gift buying for a child who has developmental delays is challenging….and I know many of my friends that I have made on this journey feel the challenge…..often toys that are suitable for Veronika’s skill level are more often than not,  marketed for children much younger that Veronika, and toys marketed for children Veronika’s age are often to difficult for Veronika to use…

and then I wonder does Veronika get the concept that the jolly man in the red suit with a white beard and a  hat, that we see as we walk through the shopping center, is Father Christmas, who visits during the night of Christmas and leaves a gift….

to be completely honest, I don’t think Veronika has any idea ‘yet’ 

but I’m sure that one day down the track that concept will come, and she may even start to put in a request for what she might like…well at least I hope so….

because I want Veronika to enjoy the magic of Christmas, like her friends.

I want my girl to understand the true meaning behind Christmas, the story of Jesus birth….I know she has some idea because she has done the nativity at school…

…so this year I had put off having a photo taken with the man in the red suit, because it was reminding me of the challenges of having a child with developmental delays

but today we went to the shops, and I said to Veronika, lets have your photo with Santa..

and when we got to the front of the line and it was Veronika’s turn, she pointed to me to undo her belt for her wheelchair so she could get out, and Veronika took  a few steps over to Santa

and that my friends was the magic of Christmas that I had been needing

my girl walked over to see Santa….

something at the beginning of this year, before Veronika’s surgery I never could of imagined possible

that my girl would be independently walking 8 months after a surgery, a surgery I was told she would realistically never walk again following

and then Veronika sat up with Santa and smiled her biggest smile

she was happy and so was I