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A mum who was criticised for buying her one-year-old a mountain of presents has revealed the heartbreaking reason why she did it.
Sarah Bouaskar, from Chester, Cheshire, received dozens of messages from people criticising her for spending so much on her little girl, Alaya.
Many accused the young mum of spoiling her 18-month-old daughter after she admitted that she couldn't fit the gifts under their tree.
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In total, the 29-year-old said she'd spent over £1,000 on toys, as well as clothes, and claimed she wasn't done there.
"I just want to give her the best Christmas I possibly can, and I don't see anything wrong with that," she said.
"People who judge me should take time to think that they don't know everybody's situation - do your own child's Christmas how you want to and let everyone else get on with theirs."
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There's a devastating reason behind Sarah's extravagance.
When she was a baby herself, the mum-of-one was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and underwent surgery when she was just 18-months-old.
And in 2017, just 24 at the time, Sarah was told that she needed to have a valve in her heart replaced and that the medication she would have to take for the operation meant she would never be able to have children.
Luckily, though, doctors were able to temporarily repair her heart to giver her just enough time to get pregnant, with Sarah giving birth Alaya in May 2021.
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But now, she's been told that her condition has deteriorated and that she needs to have a mechanical valve fitted.
And now her future looks very uncertain.
Sarah said: "I have had so many comments from people telling me I am spoiling her, but those people don't need to worry about whether they will have another Christmas.
"I don't know what's round the corner, but I do know I want to create as many special memories with her and document them so she will always have them to look back on.
"We do special photoshoots for Easter, Halloween and Valentine's day too.
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"I can't wait to see her face light up on Christmas morning when she sees them all under the tree.
"I just want to make her happy and really celebrate every occasion."
Sarah said the news that she needed another operation was difficult to take.
"I just broke down in the hospital," she recalled.
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"The surgeons said they would do their best to temporarily repair my valve to give me the time to have a baby, and I'm so grateful to them.
"I knew it wouldn't last forever, though."
Featured Image Credit: Caters