Stay At Home In Your Pajamas Day

The Saturdays in our life are widely varied – sometimes we run errands or go grocery shopping; sometimes we go hiking or on a little day trip somewhere. But our favorite kind of Saturday is a day where we do absolutely nothing in particular.

Fab Hub and I are pretty much homebodies. We aren’t huge travelers; for us, the best vacation is the one where we get to hang out at home together, turn off the telephone, and just come and go as we please if we please. We enjoy the things we do out in the world and yes, plan them on purpose fairly often. But we also love to be in our home together.  Home is a haven.

Kidzilla has clearly adopted this preference, because she often tells us she doesn’t really want to go out. She likes to tell us that Saturday is “stay at home in our pajamas day.” And so we have made that the official title of our favorite kind of day.

On a Stay At Home in Our Pajamas Day, we do not set an alarm as we would during the week. Our rising time is dictated by one or more of the following circumstances:

• Zilla’s arrival at the side of our bed cracking up and saying “Good Morning” through her laughter
• the rumbling bellies of the Rotten Cats who want their morning kitty food fix
• how desperately I have to pee

Before Zilla arrives at our bedside, however, she will usually sit quietly in her room and read to herself for a good hour. How great is this kid? We can hear her selecting books, flipping through the pages, and losing herself in the stories. This gives the Parents of Zilla a little bit of stretch and relax time until she decides it’s time for everyone else in the house to be active. At that point, she comes running down the hall and hurtles herself at the side of our bed.

Within moments, she’s up on the bed saying Good Morning, giggling and rolling all over the place. She usually ousts a Rotten Cat or two from their sleeping spot of choice during this process. Once we are all awake and everyone has taken a short trip to the potty, we are all back on the bed for a family movie.  Zilla settles herself between us, Fab Hub pops a video in, and I remove Cat Two from my pillow just moments after he settled himself in the warm spot.

I often drift back to sleep…so hard not to when it’s warm and comfortable, we are all here together, and we have nowhere to go. About halfway through the movie, Zilla decides to shift position and usually ends up kicking me awake in the process. I realize that I have been asleep and begrudgingly pull myself out of the cocoon of my morning nap only to realize that I cannot move. Not only has Zilla joined us on the bed, but somewhere between the opening credits and Zilla’s surprisingly painful kick we have also been joined by at least two Rotten Cats – sometimes all three – four extra blankets, three pillows, and somewhere between seventeen and twenty-five stuffed animals and dolls.

“Exactly how many of you really need to be nestled all snug in my bed???”

Stuffed dogs and giraffes fly onto the floor. Cats grumble. Fab Hub shifts. Zilla flips herself around to the foot of the bed and says, “Dad, can I have a snack?” Fab Hub cheerfully takes a trip down to the kitchen for a mid-morning snack for everyone while Zilla and I reposition ourselves. Once Fab Hub returns with the goods, we finish the movie and I pretend to know enough about what’s going on that he won’t know I fell asleep. I’m pretty sure he’s onto me, though.

After the movie, it’s time to head downstairs for brunch. We all finalize our particular versions of pajamas or “at home clothes” to wear for the day and move out.

The remainder of the day is spent slowly and deliciously without obligation. We play games and do puzzles. We read. Sometimes we bake or make homemade meatballs and sauce. Sometimes we go for a movie marathon day and head back to the TV for whatever sequel happens to await us. We talk with one another and make plans for the week ahead – what new recipe would we like to try? Sometimes we take a nap or putter around and do some small chores. Dinner may be something elaborate because we have the time to fuss with it or we might just order a pizza. The evening follows in much the same manner as the rest of the day and soon it is bedtime once again.

Our Stay At Home Days are precious. They offer the opportunity to reconnect with one another after a busy week of work and school. They help us remember that simple activities can be hugely fulfilling. They provide us with time for rest. In a world where so much of our time is spent doing, Stay At Home Days give us a chance to just be.

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