Bakugan

Don't kids have the strangest trends and fads:  POGS (little lightweight round bottle-cap looking game things), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figures, Transformers, Beanie Babies, Batman/Superman/PowerRanger or other action figures (they're not dolls, they're action figures), American Girl dolls, Pokemon cards and game pieces, and the ever popular football trading cards? (just to name a few...)

Well, there's one that Sam had for a little while that he's actually mostly outgrown, but will still get out and play with from time to time: BAKUGAN. He got them out this week, and it reminded me of how he was so obsessed with these things when they first came out.

These are little round figures that are kind of like transformers that start out in a little ball, you roll them onto magnetized playing cards, the magnet grabs part of the ball, and it opens into a figure -- and however they land gives you a certain number of points.

A couple of years ago, when they were the BIG thing, Sam finally talked me into getting him some, and I remember going to Toys R Us twice, and having Sam be heartbroken when they were sold out and we left emptyhanded. They said they were getting a truck the next morning, so I called them to see if they had the latest shipment in. She said, "come now, because they'll be gone by noon." I left work at like 9am, frantically RUSHED to Toys R Us, and paid something like $20 for four little ball figures -- and so happy to do it! Sam was ecstatic (which was the only reason it was worth it)!

Well, even after having lost several of them, Sam still has a big collection and will get them out every once in awhile and play with them.  It's funny even to him that he was so crazy about them at one time.

Maybe he'll look back on them someday as fondly as I do my EZ Bake Oven and Barbie dolls...!