A few weeks ago, Caitlin tagged me in her Seven Random Facts post, and today seemed like a good day to tell you silly things about myself and share some gratuitous baby photos of the glory days.

1. I’m an only child. While it’s not so uncommon in New York, I’m one of the only people I know without siblings. When friends ask what it was like, I never really know how to answer, because it’s all I’ve known. Sure, I’d probably have liked to have a friend to play with and someone to take a little of the parental focus off me, but I think I would have had a happy childhood either way.

2. I have four names: Katherine Alexandra (Mom’s maiden name) (Dad’s last name). I always thought that if my name wasn’t Katie, Alex would be another suitable nickname for me.

Hey, girl!

3. I used to be terrified of Mickey Mouse. We were visiting my grandparents in Minnesota for Thanksgiving once, and we went to a nearby mall to visit Santa and see the holiday decorations. Right after sitting on Santa’s lap (“I want a Teddy bear and lots of other surprises”), I spotted these huge, terrifying monsters wearing human clothes, their eyes the size of my head. They were waving, faces frozen in evil smiles… it was awful. A trip to Disney World got me over that fear pretty fast, though.

Hey, remember Gap in the early 90s? Yeah… we do, too.

4. The first thing I remember baking “by myself” was a fancy cake. For Christmas one year- I must have been about 5- my parents gave me a spot in a cake-baking class at Peter Kump’s New York Cooking School (now known as the Institute of Culinary Education). They dropped me off in the morning, and with the help of one of the other students, I turned out a three-layer carrot cake with candied violets and silver sugar. Probably one of the prettiest things I’ve baked to this day.

5. When I was growing up, we always had cats. Spotty was my favorite; Sacha was big and fat and really mean. It was only after Spotty died that she became affectionate and cuddly. Sadly, she died while I was away at summer camp while a neighbor was catsitting, but on the way home from camp that year we stopped at a breeder’s to look at dogs and came home with this guy.

Here pictured with Ilena, one of my oldest friends. We met in pre-school!

Charley- also known affectionately as “Mop Dog” when his hair is long and his bangs are in his eyes- just got a haircut. Mop Dog turned into a lamb!

6. Speaking of summer camp, that’s where I had my first kiss. I went to an all girls’ camp, but every week or so we had “Socials” with the neighboring boys’ camps. We’d get all gussied up- halter tops! glitter eye gel!- and dance to a couple Destiny’s Child songs. At the end of the night, without fail, the DJ would play “Stairway to Heaven” and that was the signal to go big or go home. This particular occasion was, I think, the last Social of my camp career. I think the boy’s name was Peter; there are photos of the Before and During moments (taken by this enterprising lady who was standing by with camera ready) and they still make me blush to think about.

7. I failed my road test three times. After taking the test in three different counties, the fourth time was a charm. (I think it was somewhere in Queens.) Blame it on my being a New York City kid (we couldn’t get our permits until we were 17, licenses at 18) or just being scared of things with wheels (I was hit by a motorcycle when I was 5). Anyway, I got my license when I was 19, had a car my junior and senior years of college (a must in Minnesota) and am now making a concerted effort to drive more.

BONUS weird fact: I can’t wink. No, seriously, my eyes just don’t do that. Left or right. I can blink, though, don’t worry.

Let’s get personal! What was your first kiss like?

What are 7 random facts about you? Sharing is caring!