A few weeks ago Iris discovered the word “and,” probably about the time the lobster joke started. Now she uses it in ways that would make Strunk and White keel over. Once she gets going with the conjunctions, though, she doesn’t always remember what she’s already said.

For example, those corn pancakes must have made an impression, because today I said something about corn, and she said, “Iris and Dada and Mama and Dada and Iris eat corn kernels.”