When Disney+ first launched, Jess and I, like millions of other people, immediately watched “The Mandalorian.” And, also like millions of other people, Jess fell instantly and completely in love with Baby Yoda. (Yes, he’s technically ‘The Child,” but he’s clearly a baby Yoda, so whatever.)

Thereafter, as she repeatedly declared, all she wanted for Christmas was a Baby Yoda. But the initial run of official toys were not only substantially delayed (until at least February or March), the “plush” stuffed ones were also partly made of a rubbery vinyl, and therefore not at all the sort of cuddle-able friend she had envisioned.

Still, I kept searching for options over the subsequent months, and just before her birthday managed to put my name down for the initial run of Build-a-Bear stuffed Baby Yodas, which looked pretty much perfect. Those hadn’t been released yet, either, but I at least printed out a color picture and wrapped that up, and she was completely thrilled nonetheless.

A few weeks later, as the global manufacturing supply chain started to collapse under the weight of COVID-19 lockdowns, I began to assume Yoda’s arrival would be even more substantially delayed. But, as I was working out one morning earlier this month, an email popped up on my Apple Watch saying that a few Baby Yodas were indeed currently available. So, mid-set, I dropped everything, ran to my laptop, and quickly bought one.

It seems I was wise to hustle, as the initial small run sold out within minutes, and there’s no indication when more might be arriving. So while Jess was ecstatic when hers arrived yesterday – she spent the next hour carrying it around cradled in her arms – a slew of other fast purchasers instead parlayed their haste into profits: currently, those Baby Yodas are selling on eBay for as much as $300.

That said, there’s zero chance we’re selling. Which, funny enough, leaves our real life imitating “The Mandalorian” itself: most of the first season revolves around the title character, an otherwise heartless, money-driven bounty hunter, deciding that there are things (or, at least, Yodas) to love more than money.

Clearly, he was right.