Liam has Benjamin’s illness from last week — he woke us all up at 3:30 this morning to show us. My poor guys. Vacation is fun, but it’s hard to be travelling so much, and it’s even harder to be sick while you’re doing it.

Nothing bonds you as a family like waking up in the night to take care of each other, though. When your baby is sick and miserable, everything else suddenly seems unimportant. And B, who woke up while we were getting Liam cleaned up, reassured Liam with lots of good advice like, “You’ll feel better soon, Liam” and “It’s ok, we’ll get you all cleaned up” and then he offered Liam his own red sword to help him feel better. (He is the best big brother.)

Times like that, I realize a few things. First, however insecure and clueless I feel as a parent, I must be doing something right to have kids who talk to each other that way (I’m not taking credit — maybe they came pre-programmed that way — but at least I haven’t ruined them yet). Second, I am so grateful for my children’s health — this is a short, tiny blip on an otherwise intensely healthy period. And third, in the midst of vomiting children, sleeping on towels and doing very gross laundry in hotel room sinks, there is nowhere I would rather be than right there with my boys. I love being with my kids, caring for them, more than any other thing I can imagine doing.

By mid-afternoon, Liam was back to his chipper, hungry self. Hopefully we will all stay well for the last bit of our trip.