PAJAMA DAYS

'Is it time to get up yet?' asked Sage this morning at 8am.

'You can still sleep, if you'd like' I replied.

'I wanna build.' And with that response, he scrambled across me on the daybed with a quick kiss on his way to the two tables where the day's construction would take place. He was trying to make it to the tables before his sister started building on the seafood restaurant they began yesterday.

Throughout the day, they remained stationed at their tables taking turns building. Sage would work on one page whilst Cinnamon sat on the daybed and waited her turn. At one point, she grabbed a book and started to read whilst waiting her turn.

The children also let me work on two pages, but I did not wish to take any of the pleasure away from them by working on more pages. Sage let me place the coveted light brick in the kitchen. The one which would be the stove where the fish was 'cooked' - according to Sage.

The process continued until they completed the set this late afternoon, shortly before dinner. Every so often, I would hear Sage tell me 'I like your set. Thank you for letting us build it.' He informed me the next time they are here they will build the medium set. He meant the boathouse, as the lighthouse he is saving for the last project.

Saffron called via Skype this morning whilst we sat at the table for breakfast. With the iPad on the coffee table we have been using as our dining place, it was as if she was there with us. It was early evening for her in Berlin and her day was almost over. She let us know she went to the airport early this morning to see her father leaving to go back home. In four weeks she will finally be returning home and this 'experiment' will be over.

The plan was for the other two children to go stay with Oma when they reached third grade. I already voiced my opinion on this matter months ago when I requested my daughter return home earlier and was refused the request by her father. I wished for the children to be together at Christmas, if not earlier. As a result, the younger two children will not be going away to Berlin as I feel the three siblings need to stay together as long as possible.

These past four days of the new year we spent indoors in pajamas. There was no going out into the cold so we could drive half an hour downtown for groceries. There were no trips to the gym or more days spent at winter camp as Sage already expressed his great dislike of the camp at the gym. If it wasn't for the cedar pollen and ensuing cedar fever allergies, we would have gone on a few walks. Instead, the children enjoyed their pajama days of the new year. The last day of winter break has drawn to a close and the children will be returning to school early in the morning.