As she nears five years of age, Alden is beginning to unravel the mysteries of language. She’s known how to spell her name for a while now, but lately she’s been branching out into other members of the family. When we were at the public library yesterday, she started strutting her stuff.
A backwards “D” can be forgiven, I think.
After conquering “Alden” and “Kato,” she was eager to move on to “August.” She started with the “A” but then was stuck. After a little help with the tricky “U,” she blazed on to the end.
It was tiring work, but gratifying.
She’s also making progress on the writing front, though her beginner’s scrawl requires some interpretation.
Here’s a note she wrote to my grandma, Mary.
Translation: I love you. To Grandma Mary. Thank you. Alden
I love the choices she makes. The oversized “G” and first “A” in “Grandma,” the “R” that looks like an armless alien with two legs, the dramatic shifts in scale. Watching her write is a messy blur between riding a roller coaster and watch a drunk surgeon attempt a transplant.
I think the result is charming and lovely, but then again, I am her father.