We’ve had one hell of a day here with the Captain. He’s been sick over and over again with “the runs,” as my mother would say. I cannot believe his little body contains so much poop, nor so much fluid.

Then, during dinner of toast and apple juice, he topped it all off by casually turning to the side and vomiting all over the table, chair, and floor.

The crazy thing — and the thing that tells us that this is not just a bug — is that he actually feels okay. He’s perky. He’s running around and ready to play. He wanted to go to his soccer game tonight. He still has an appetite and kept asking for more food all day long. There’s no fever, either. So all is well…except that once an hour or so he has to run to the bathroom to be violently ill. Then, it’s back to squirting water guns at his sisters. It makes us wonder just how long this has been going on, that he can treat it as par for the course, part of his every day living, nothing special, nothing to get upset about.

I’m upset about it. I hope tomorrow’s doctor’s appointment gives us some answers.

One great part of my day, however, came via Gal Smiley, who is so sweet and adorable and loving sometimes. She was having chocolate pudding after dinner — she had it yesterday for the first time ever and is IN LOVE, it is the greatest thing EVER, and she may never eat anything else ever again. So I said to her, “Boy, you really love that chocolate pudding. It’s a good treat, isn’t it?” And she said, “YES.”

Then, when she was finished, I said, “Gal Smiley, it’s been a hard day around here, can I have a hug?” And she gave me one of her patented Best Hugs Ever, in which she leaps into your arms and throws her arms and legs around you and gives you a monster hug that transmits love to the entire known universe.

Then she said excitedly, “Maybe THIS could be my treat instead!”

Giving up chocolate pudding for the chance to hug her mom. Now that makes my day.