Names and Letters

I don’t even think she knows about signatures. That you write your name in this way and that it bears significance. She is learning how to sign the letters of her name, her little polished nails with the snake tattoo she chose from the Advent calendar. She forms the letters with her hands. She concentrates so hard, forming it first in her lap then thrusting her hand out there for you to see.

And now she writes her name. First and last. And this is the best part, what comes after. Like you would sign MD or PhD or MA or CNM after your name she writes:

CLARA BEATTY 4EKKKTT

The 4, for her age. And the letters to represent friends she’s had playdates with. And if she’s had two playdates with someone, she writes the initial to correspond. I don’t know how long the letter-string will go on, she doesn’t actually do a ton of playdates. But this makes me think she remembers each one and that they really mean something to her.