If you asked my youngest about her big sister, the first thing she’ll tell you is that “Mimmy is my best friend.”

Sure Squidge will get frustrated with her when she meddles with her toys, but she takes great pride in being one of Gabby’s teachers in this world. They are in it together.

Gabby is pretty much Squidge’s shadow. It’s thanks to her “best friend” that Gabby bypassed the potty completely at 2 years old and went straight to using the toilet because that’s what she saw her big sister do.

She is loving and empathetic, because that is what she sees her big sister do. And she wants to be just like her.

This week, Gabby, Kev & I have each been struck by back to school lurgy. Poor Squidge has remained the only one in good health. We’ve been managing the best we can and at times when you are running on empty, that is enough.

Gabby has told me not to be sorry when she has been left to endlessly watch TV while I lay down. Immy helped to make her dad a plate of snacks. when he couldn’t face a meal.

With Gabby feeling unwell too, she has been unable to face a full meal either. To be honest, she’s a grazer anyway, so feeling under the weather has made her more picky. She argued and whined, not even wanting to eat a piece of toast.

I had no more energy to give to cajoling her. She is as stubborn as her dad and I combined (naturally).

Squidge stepped in, as Gabby’s favourite person, with her gentle sing-song voice. Having no success however, she raced upstairs to collect a cuddly from her bedroom. After all, if dinner was under threat in favour of a fluffy monkey gobbling it up, chances were Gabby would loudly assert her ownership.

But as Squidge raced up the stairs, Gabby sat at the bottom of the stairs, sobbing. “I want to go upstairs with Mimmy!”

“No baby, she’ll be back in a minute.”

This didn’t help. “She’s gone without me.”

Squidge came back, fluffy monkey in hand. “Brownie” hovered over Gabby’s plate of toast but she wasn’t distracted, sobbing still because her favourite person had left her, even just for a moment.

I didn’t have to say or do anything. It all played out in front of me.

Gabby was sat, sobbing at the bottom of the stairs. Squidge went and sat beside her, wrapping her arms around her.

“I’m back now, Gabby. Mimmy’s here.”

“You went upstairs without me!”

“I know. Brownie was going to eat your toast…” Squidge hugged her tighter. “OK baby?”

“Yeah.” Gabby sniffed, straightening up to look at her favourite person.

Squidge reached across with her thumbs to squish her baby sister’s tears. “Dry those tears.” she said gently.

And then she wrapped her fluffy monkey with his velcro paws around her neck, making Gabby giggle as it tickled her.

I sat watching in awe. A tiny girl who adored her big sister above all others. A big sister who knew her family was under a germy siege and still wanted to do everything she could possibly think of to help us all.

I made sure to tell Squidge how proud I was of her for her selflessness and her wonderful sisterly behaviour.

What girls. My girls.