Kins!

When we got Fauna, we struggled with a name because we just gave back our Jack Russel Terrier whom we named Fossa Brown. It was the greatest dog name ever, and we had to give it back.

When we got Fauna, we debated on calling her Fauna and Leena, so we decided to tag her as both. On her dog tag, both names are present. She learned her name fast, but with the name Fauna Leena, a terrible addiction came. Adding the phrase "kins" to the end of it. My little pet name for her.

"Hello my Fauna Leena-kins!"

And since she was still learning her name, if I wanted to talk about her without saying her name, I would say, "where's the Leena-kins?" and she wouldn't know. Now she knows the name Fauna, Leena and anything with the word "kins" attached to it.

And I hook it onto any word or phrase:

"What do you want for dinner-kins?"

"I'm so happy-kins!"

"The floor is all dirty-kins."

"I have diarrhea-kins!"

"What? You just contracted gonorrhea-kins?"

"Kins-kins!"

If I said gonorrhea-kins, I don't think she'd come, but this little suffix I created has now turned into a language mutant and its on the verge of baby talk, something that is both horrible and aggravating. I am not a baby talker, nor do I ever want to become one, but the "kins" is irresistible.

So, until I can break the habit, "kins" it is.