Saturday, April 20, 2013

R ~ Retardant, as in Flame and Pajamas


These are the continuing adventures of a Swedish immigrant during her first year as an American. She boldly went where she'd never gone before...please come along on Adventures in America.

I think it's entirely appropriate that I'm IN pajamas, at 5:48 am (on a SATURDAY...sheesh) as I write this. Another one of THOSE days yesterday, only it included 4 hours of daycare for SMK (see nicknames above) so that she could take her oldest to his new school. I'm so proud of him – he got a soccer scholarship! Anyway, I'm talking about pajamas here, so ahem, back to that.

In Sweden, everything is natural. Natural colored wood for furniture and floors, natural fabrics, as in 100% cotton pajamas, along with clothes also in natural fabrics. None of this “this item is not intended for sleepwear” crap you see on baby and toddler clothes today. That's because pj's have to be FLAME RETARDANT. I discovered this little lovely addition to clothes when we moved here.

For a gift, I got what I thought was THE most wonderful pajamas ever. A gown, with matching robe.



Not so fast. If I tried to run my fingers over the beautiful LOOKING fabric, little pieces of my imperfect skin snagged. It felt kinda like finger nails on a chalkboard or touching unwashed potatoes (big shudder) to touch those pj's. I was immediately in mourning.

Farmor and Farfar gave us pj's that year, too. Nothing fancy, just good ole' cotton. 

(I haven't put mine on yet, but they look just like Swissie's)

Heaven. I wore Grandma Vivians pajamas when I spent the night at her house, which was a Friday ritual that Swissie and I alternated enjoying. (DataBoy was 2, as I keep saying, so he got his turns later. And ended up Grandma's favorite...but that's another story.) I wore real pajamas the rest of the time.

When it came time to dress my little boys for bed, I tried to be a good mom and keep them safe from fire, but once they outgrew footie pj's, it was back to cotton. They survived. They'd kill me if I told you what they sleep in now, so I'll just leave it here. I only have to buy pj's for me and the engineer.

~Tina, who is SO sorry I haven't been visiting these last two days, but I WILL catch up. Promise.

P.S 5 extra entries in the drawing (for a $25 IKEA gift card) for the first person to notice and comment on the anachronisms in these photos...

P.P.S  One of my minions, AJ, wrote an amazingly intricate pick-your-own-plot post for P.  You gotta check it out!


22 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Pajamas are supposed to be flame retardant? Why, do small children sometimes spontaneously combust?
I don't buy pajamas. We'll leave it at that.

Donna Smith said...

The thing I noticed about your photos is that you seem to have ghosts! There's a headless person in one on their hands and knees, and a wandering star in the other with someone standing on their head over on the side. These guys seem to be dressed while everyone else is in their pjs.
I hate the new materials, too,

Ali said...

I get the same uncomfortable feeling when touching that fabric as well. One of my kids wears those pajamas anyway, the other just wears her underwear to bed.

JoJo said...

I have always loved flannel jammies! I live in them at home.

Jo said...

Hubby doesn't wear pajamas either, I have worn a nightdress for years, did wear pajamas as a kid. Don't remember flame retardants though.

JO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE

Sheena-kay Graham said...

I love pajamas.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Once I was old enough, I just wore oversized t-shirts to bed. I don't remember if my pj's were flame-retardant though. My mom made most of my clothes when I was little, so probably not.

Laeli said...

I sleep necked too:P But ever since becoming friends with a fireman, keep clothes and shoes beside the bed, You just never know when you might need such things.

Andrew Leon said...

I'm with Donna on the things in the photos. I can't quite figure out the ghost, but the upside down kid seems to be on the outside of the photo.

um... I forgot the other thing I was going to say.

Kathleen Jennette said...

I never did understand that we needed a label stating that clothes were or were not flame retardant. Everything burns, and just the thought of a person with a match or even a cigarette next to a child is, well, bleckkk. Love the jammies though! I think I had some like that too :)
KaTy Did at: Life's Ride As I See It

Carol Kilgore said...

Just remembering the feel of flame retardant fabric makes my skin crawl. I don't think it's as bad now as it used to be.

Tina said...

People have been asking about seeing other stuff in the pictures...there's an easy explanation and it starts with I'm horrid at macro photography. Secondly, these photos ARE from the 70s and some have degraded. Most are taken from my Creative Memories album, so you see the edge of other pictures (like me doing a hand-stand) next to the main picture. Also, on some of them, I couldn't get the plastic protector sheet off without ripping it and I don't have any extras, so I left it on and made you deal with the glare...BUUUT, that's not the magic answer, or I wouldn't have said it. Still waiting for my observant winner of today's extra entries.
~Tina

klahanie said...

Greetings human, Tina,

Cause I'm one tired dog and it's gone three in the morning, all I can say is I don't wear pajamas, sorry spell check, pyjamas :) However, I do wear 'pupjamas'. Sorry, I'm not sure what's out of kilter in your photos.

Happy alpheting and enjoy the rest of your weekend, human Tina.

Pawsitive wishes, Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar!

4 Life said...

We call 'em 'Jammies' around our house. I wish I could figure out the anacronyms, but the screen will only open to a 6x6 square...weird computer gremlins, I guess. Happy Z2Zing.....

Texas Playwright Chick

Unknown said...

I always loved, still love pajamas. I could read about them all day. Great post

Unknown said...

Just stopping by for the A-Z Challenge. Loved the old photos! Juliet atCity Muse Country Muse

DL Hammons said...

You would never get me in those! The only piece of clothing I could ever sleep wearing was my undies. I would always disrobe at night if my mom put anything else on me. :)

Anonymous said...

You can bet I'd be in my jammies early on a Saturday! Oh how well I remember footie pj's for the little ones:)

Unknown said...

I can guess what they sleep in now, Tina. I prefer cotton to flame retardant pj's anyday. God bless, Maria from Delight Directed Living

Unknown said...

Seeing as I had to goggle the word 'anachronism' I don't think I have a chance at finding them in the photos. But they're beautiful photos anyway, especially the kids!

Rachel said...

PJ's have to be fire proof? I've never heard of that before. I heard it was a choice in clothing but that was it. I guess it kind of makes sense but that's still weird to me.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Tina .. love this - people don't understand .. I can't wear wool, linen, polyester .. but I can wear cotton - then they mess around with it .. and like you and the PJs .. it's a right struggle.

Quite understand your retardant aspects .. they don't add anything except chemicals ...

I hope life has eased now .. big hugs Hilary