Beanie Babies

Remember these?

I was 10 or 11 when these little beauties debuted. 

I remember walking home from school and I would go the long way just so I could go into this little boutique and look at all those beautiful little plush animals.

I asked for them for my birthday and for Christmas.  I would save up all of my money so that I could the latest one.  Flip the cat was my favorite.

She was the most perfect cat.

"Flip the cat is an acrobat
She loves playing on her mat
This cat flips with such grace and flair
She can somersault in mid air!"

Reading those little poems was the best ever and I loved that all the little animals had their own birthdate.  Flip was born on Feb. 28th, 1995.

Then one of the best things ever happened.  McDonalds changed the toy in their happy meal to miniature beanie babies.  GASP!  The lines at these stores were ridiculous.  Nobody wanted the food.  We just wanted that beanie baby!  They had a little banner behind the register that listed all of the beanie babies that they would have and the date that they would be put into those joyous little happy meals.

I would stop on the way home from school a few times a week to buy myself a happy meal and my dear parents took us there to eat dinner a few times over the next several months. (Which was a really big deal b/c my dad was back in school and they had like, no income.  The things parents do for their children :))

The beanie baby fad went on for a pretty long time.  I remember getting the Princess Diana bear and I was sooooo excited because that was estimated to be worth a ton of money once it retired.

It's funny how things turn out because these little animals are essentially worthless.  People really convinced themselves that they were going to be worth big money one day and so they stocked up.

I didn't care if they were going to be worth a thousand dollars, I was NEVER going to sell my beanie babies.  And I haven't.  I still have them.  They are just waiting for me to have a baby so that they have a new friend to play with.