Jumpin’ Jammies (Even When Your Toddlers Grow Up)

Posted byCathy

January 3, 2012

DIY Fun, Studio Life

Every now and then when I look through our boxes of photos, something becomes quite apparent … I am clearly a matching-outfit-lovin’ kind of mom. In fact, every single Christmas Eve since I can remember, our girls were allowed to open just one present each …

Girls: “This one?”
Mom: “No, not that one … THIS one.”
Girls: “Mom, we know what that is … matching pajamas.”

(Some people might say that I was displaying my inner control-freak to art direct the outfits which would be worn for the upcoming Christmas morning videos, and, well … some people might be a tiny bit correct.)

So this is my letter to my children … “Girls, you have been very good sports all these years … especially Ellen, who, being 10 years older than the littlest Hecklette, put up with matching a lot longer than she probably would have liked. Thank you for allowing me to mix ‘n match you year after year. And, finally, now that my little toddlers are 5’9” and taller, I promise to refrain from forced matching on Christmas Eve … NOT! Surprise!! Merry Christmas Eve pajamas … again! Love, Mom.”

I just couldn’t resist. We had just received samples of our no-kidding-super-soft Jumpin’ Monkeys flannel, and they just begged to be made into matching jammies. Our dear friend, Nancy Keirns, put on her elf cap, and whipped these out as though she lived in the North Pole, and they were waiting under the tree on Christmas Eve. “Okay,” I said, “everyone can open just one present!” I think the collective thought was “You‘re kidding, right mom?” But, alas, I was not, and I proudly presented everyone with … yep, matching-paper-wrapped boxes. Even our goddaughters, who have been matching with us all these years, were troopers and allowed me to take the picture (above) of our big girls in their new matching monkey jammies.

Then, on Christmas morning, like always, all three girls were picture perfect! (You will be glad to know that I did use some restraint and did not make matching pajamas for Ellen’s husband … this year, anyway!) The tail that is interrupting the photo below belongs to our dog, Neville, who was dying to be in the photo, but I wouldn’t let him … because, of course, he did not have on matching jammies … although, hmm, my creative juices are flowing … I see some puppy pajamas in your future Nevs.

Are any of you matching-outfit-lovin’ moms like me? (please say yes) … if so, we would love for you to send a picture of your favorite matching moments to us here and we can post them to our flickr site and all feel content with the order of the world.

And, as winter weather continues, if you are needing some warm pajamas, which are incredibly soft, and fast and easy to make … you can buy Jumpin’ Monkeys flannels here. Nancy used a Butterick pattern, but I couldn’t find a link, so here is a pattern which seems very similar … she made each pair in about an hour, but, of course, she is a magic elf!