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!
I used to be unable to wink when I was younger, but somehow grew into winking, ha!
Speaking of being scared of Disney characters, my little brother was OBSESSED with Goofy for about a year. We went to Disney finally, and we were so excited to see my brother meet his hero. Then when the time came, he was petrified! My brother couldn’t deal with a life-size Goofy I guess!
Haha I can’t wink either!
Eeeeeeee!!! I totally remember that first kiss moment, and the photos I mailed to you shortly after
) the next day.
My first kiss was with my first boyfriend behind school after school, and I remember everyone running around the corner laughing and pointing. I was so mortified I broke up with the boy (surely breaking his heart
Love the name Alex (but love Katie more… obviously!)
ps. I can’t wink either, but I do so try – Mario and my brothers make fun of me relentlessly for it!
My first kiss was with my first boyfriend, when we were 14. It happened in my best friend’s basement and it was perfect. We dated for 2 years and I thought we were going to get married. Crazy thing is the guy is now a famous country musician.
I loveeeee hearing that you had a great childhood being the only peanut. We are considering that and everyone is so critical about it…. You were/are adorable. And I think its really cool that you have your Moms family name in your name. First kiss? Terrible
I totally agree. You were/are adorable! I loved reading these notes on your life. And in the first photo of you and mom, you remind me so much of Lucia. You are giving the photographer the same look!
haha omg i loved this and i can’t believe you were baking at age 5! thats crazy awesome. umm my first kiss was when i was visiting my brother at penn state and his creepy but hot roommate pulled me to the side at a frat party and kissed me. it was a really good kiss but he was too old for me hahahaha
the picture of you and charlie as a pup is adorable!… the disney picture makes me want to go there right now- my sister and i are mildly obsessed, we’ve been 12 times- in fact, go read our hs yearbook and look at what chris d. wrote (found out it was him) for that dream/reality/etc. section.
I’ll admit it–Seth is the only person I’ve ever kissed…meaning I was 21 when I got my first kiss! I was a tad remedial in romance.
oh summer camp! i remember my first kiss when i was in 8th grade outside of the movie theatre we went and saw ‘the saint’ lol. love mop dog hahaha!
love this! love finding more about you.
and I am the same, I cannot wink!!!! haha glad to know i am not alone. seriously it is horrible, it is like my whole body gets into or something.
xoxo
Michelle
my first kiss was on a deserted beach, just before sunrise. sounds almost made-up, right?
i went to an all-girls summer camp too but we never had dances with the boys camp! they kept us pretty cloistered.
I’m always amazed to discover that all those summercamp movies are actually documentaries!
I love these facts! So fun! The childhood photos are perfect. I had my first kiss at the end of the school day in middle school. My first “boyfriend” tried to plant one on me before we parted ways to board our respective school buses. I was caught off guard and all the other kids on the bus were clearly watching. Awkward to say the least! Ahhh middle school.
You were the CUTEST and so was charley. I totally remember you in all those phases.