I had a very difficult time trying to find clothes for my boys on my Semi-Annual Big Shopping Trip earlier this year. As usual, the marketers think that moms of boys don’t notice the huge discrepancy between the boys and girls sections. I did notice, in fact, when the boys’ section in Old Navy was half the size of the girls and was nearly empty. In the end, I did find enough to clothe my boys for the winter and fall. Good thing. I’d hate for someone to call Child Protective Services on me for letting my children go naked simply because companies don’t care about boys clothing. That would be unfortunate.

Today, however, I need to rant about the cost of pajamas. I hate buying pajamas. In fact, in the summer months when it’s hot and I’m too cheap to run the air conditioning, the boys sleep in their underwear and a t-shirt. I find paying upwards of $20.00 for pajamas, clothing that they only sleep in and that the rest of the public simply doesn’t see, to be rather ridiculous. I usually hit up discount stores or big sales (remember when I went out on Black Friday last year?) for deals on pajamas. Less than $10 is an acceptable price for me to pay. In fact, one store I visit specifically for this reason often prices their pajamas for $5.99 and that makes me a very happy Shopping Mama. In fact, I recently bought an extra size of Lightning McQueen pajamas at that price so LittleBrother can have a new pair next year at that same glorious price. (Give me a sale and I’ll buy twice as much.)

As much as I hate spending the big bucks on pajamas, I recently broke my rule. If you’re the mom of a boy, you may have noticed the huge selection of firefighter themed pajamas this year. Almost every store I shop at, either online or in brick-and-mortar version, is sporting a pair. Old Navy ($14.50), Crazy8 ($16.50) and Gap ($22.50), just to name a few, all offer very cute firefighter themed pajamas. But all at prices that I’m, quite honestly, not willing to spend since no one but FireDad and very few select people (grandparents, the babysitter) will ever see. I mean, the Gap pajamas are more expensive than the Easter suit that I bought for BigBrother this year. Unless he’s wearing those things to church, school and everything in between, I think not.

But, you see, one of my close friends went shopping with me on the Semi-Annual Big Shopping Trip. She likes me to spend my money. (As I like her to spend hers!) We were in the Carter’s Outlet and she said, “Have you seen the firefighter pajamas?” She dragged me by my ear (slight exaggeration), pulled one off the rack and I died inside. I couldn’t not buy them. I had to purchase them. There was never any debate. Thankfully, due to my savvy-shopping, I was under budget and, therefore, I could afford to splurge on what are, quite honestly, the coolest firefighter jammies on the planet. I paid $12 a pair but, as you can see below, I couldn’t avoid it. It simply had to be done. The money had to be spent.

See?

As I said, no other option was available but, “Purchase. Immediately.”

I would link you to these wonderful pajamas so that you could purchase them yourselves (you know, since there’s no other option) but Carter’s doesn’t have a large availability online and these were Outlet jammies. I can only urge you to beat feet to the store and pray that they have your child’s size still available. (As a side note, they also have a navy blue and orange firefighter rain jacket in store right now as well. I’m sorry. I also had to purchase that one.)

I write all of this to say: if you are a marketer, researching what to make for boys pajamas, defaulting to fire trucks or firefighter gear will almost guarantee that I, a very choosy Shopping Mom, will buy said pajamas. Whatever the price. That said, please don’t or I’m going to have to start sending my kids to school in pajamas. Is it appropriate to get official pictures taken in pajamas? It is, isn’t it? Lie to me.

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While my boys now have a mostly full fall-and-winter wardrobe, complete with pajamas that are too expensive for my taste, I am searching for one thing: a solid (non-plaid), red button up shirt in size 4T or big kid’s size 4. BigBrother needs it for Christmas and everyone is all plaid-ed out this year. If you see one, please let me know. Thanks!