Toddlers find calling cards in unique sets of catch-phrases and garbled gobbledygook. These things of childhood last through three stages. At first, they're endearing. Second, they wear thin. Third: they are memories. Blink and they're gone, the funny little corruptions of speech they'll never have again.

S.J., my young lad of two had taken to the idiom, "Ah yeah," a soft-spoken exclamation of pleasant surprise and affirmative response. The choice words to accept culinary choices, wardrobe suggestions, or outing options.

And then, poof! it was gone. A positive response is now a low-pitched, almost solemn, succinct, "Yes," accompanied by a simple nod of the head.

What is in a name? To S.J., nothing much. Aunt Jenny was Jenny, but Aunt Sharon was Jenny Two; I was Dan, while the cat was, Dad.

Then Sharon became Sharon and my own rightful title was restored.

Cats we have at home, hence the average canine on the street is of great interest. Dogs were initially ba-bahs; then gah-zees, before they became doggies. Our secret little lexicon fades away.

Still, it's not gone just yet. Nana's dog, Henry remains Hemi (like the engine), muffins are muzzies, donuts are nuts, and lest you figure we eat nothing but junk, milk is myeelk, and vitamins are mins (brevity is the soul of wit). And sometimes, it appears, he consciously considers, then rejects our corrections. Maybe we have it wrong and he has it right? I dare you to say that muzzies in not a superior-sounding moniker for those scrumptious baked goods, which the uninformed still label, muffins.

In the end, we've learned not to hurry progress; we enjoy the special tongue of toddlerhood.

* * *

It has come to my recent attention that Sharon has now become Ino (her fiance's name).

All right, enough of this nonsense. I've finished my sandwich (I can't drive and text, but I can type and eat) and it's time to go. I have to read Schwab v. Reilly and wonder if that anti-debtor Supreme Court ruling would have panned out differently in the new Kagan era. The consequences of black-robe appointment teaches that timing and luck is not irrelevant in law. Afterwards, I'll indulge in some discovery requests, chapter-13 planning and more thinking on In re Wiegand.

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