Michael pushed the last present under the tree and his 'Santa' duties were finished for the year.

He stretched his long arms over his head yawning, and was about to go join Sara in the living room for some hot cocoa, when he remembered the cookies and milk Rose had insisted Santa had to have in order to continue on his jolly way.

Michael smiled as her words came back to him:

"Daddy, if Santa gets weak from hunger all of the boys and girls will wake up with no presents".

He had hugged his sweet daughter and pulled a box of Oreo cookies from the cupboard, placing 2 cookies on a plate.

She had stood there, her arms crossed against her small chest looking at him expectantly until he realized his mistake. He was forgetting the milk.

Michael grinned as he remembered her insistence that she pour the milk into the glass herself.

He loved the look of concentration etched on her beautiful 4 year old face. She was a stubborn one, he knew. And she didn't let the heavy gallon jug beat her.

A few minutes later she had proudly carried the milk and cookies into the family room and placed them ever so carefully on the table next to the fireplace.

Still smiling, he walked over to the plate and took a cookie, shoving it into his mouth whole. Then taking a sip of the milk, he washed it down.

He was taking a bite of the second cookie when he saw the note.

Picking it up his eyes scanned it, a soft smile coming to his lips.

"Sara", he called softly.

When she didn't hear him, not wanting to risk waking Rosie, he took the note into the living room where Sara sat waiting for him.

She was watching It's a wonderful life and sipping her cocoa when he showed her their daughter's note.

Sara read it aloud her eyes misting over:

"Deer, Santa I know I asd you for a amasing sally doll, but I wood like you to give my daddy something insteed. Culd you plees bring my daddy back his 2 toes? If you wood I promise I wood be good forever and ever. Love always Rosie".

Sara brushed the tears from her cheeks and looked into Michael's watery blue eyes.

"Merry Christmas, Michael", she said smiling softly as she fingered the note.

"Merry Christmas, Sara", Michael replied as he pulled her in for a gentle hug.

Michael looked at his daughter's note held lovingly in his wife's hand, and he knew it was going to be their best Christmas yet.