Happy Birthday to...

...me!

Today, I turn 32 years old. So, in honor of my new age, I thought I'd list "32 random things about Jess' 32 years" -- there'll be a test tomorrow, so be sure to take good notes:

1. I was born in Ft. Collins, CO
2. The first movie I saw in the theater was "Bambi," but because I wouldn't stop crying after Bambi's mother was killed (in the first 5 minutes), my mom took me out and I didn't get to finish my first movie.
3. The first movie I remember seeing in the theater was "Gremlins" -- scared the bejesus out of me.
4. For grades 1-3, I attended school in a one room schoolhouse. It was just me and another kid (his name was Lucas and I will always think of him as "Mucas Lucas") in the same grade.
5. In 1st grade, I fell off the monkey bars and bit through my tongue.
6. When I was 7, I got a hamster and named him Marvin. When I was 9, I entered him in a hamster racing competition hosted by the local pet store. In a miraculous upset, Marvin won first place! He won himself a kickass HabitTrail, and I got my picture in the paper.
7. In 4th grade, I was placed in the "gifted and talented" program at school. I hated it.
8. I took 3 years of piano lessons. Also hated them. Especially hated practicing.
9. I was a Brownie. Also hated that. Only lasted one year in that and I lasted that long because my mom forced me to go because "the uniform cost a fortune" so she was gonna make sure I got my use of it.
10. I was in karate for 3 years. And loved that! I guess kicking and punching things was more a part of my personality than piano and cookie-selling.
11. I played soccer from when I was in 3rd grade until I was a senior in high school. I wasn't great at it, but I loved it too!
12. In grades, 4, 5, and 6, I had perfect attendance. That's right: 3 years and not a single missed day.
13. In 5th grade, I was on the Battle of the Books team (an academic event that would require more explanation that what I'm aiming to compose here -- essentially, a competitive "knowledge bowl" type thing based on books). We lost in the first round of competition.
14. The first day of middle school, I accidentally got on the high school bus. That was a disaster.
15. In 6th grade, I got de-pantsed by Adam Jack in front of my entire grade while we were at lunch. Most embarrassing incident of my life.
16. In 7th grade, I got detention for flicking a penny at someone during class.
17. I had braces.
18. I was in 9th grade when Kurt Cobain killed himself. It was a monumental moment.
19. When I was a teenager, we had a pet goose -- named Silly Goose.
20. I shut my finger in my locker in 10th grade and had to go to the emergency room. Got 10 stitches and that finger is weird to this day.
21. Before I got my driver's license, I had already put my mom's car in the ditch 3 times.
22. Two months after I got my driver's license, I committed a "hit and run" -- the police found me; that was bad.
23. I graduated high school a semester early. But waited until the fall to start college.
24. I have a tattoo, but it's such a cliche, so I hesitate to tell you what it is or where it is. Oh, okay: Chinese character, lower back. Go ahead and laugh.
25. I rolled my Honda Civic in college and I wasn't wearing my seatbelt -- I was thrown from the car, but miraculously, the only injuries I suffered were two chipped teeth.
26. Graduated college Magna Cum Laude, which makes me laugh cuz it sounds dirty.
27. I have an M.A. in English, which means I can write and talk real good.
28. I met Jerry when I was 24. We met in a bar. It's a good story.
29. We got married, in 2005 (when I was 27), on a boat that never left its dock. The boat was named "The Anticipation." I appreciate irony.
30. Even before we got married, we had decided that if we ever had a girl, we'd name her Norah.
31. I have never broken a single bone, had never had blood drawn before I was pregnant, had never spent the night in a hospital until I had Norah, and haven't been to the doctor (except for check ups) since I was a junior in college.
32. I currently weigh 3 lbs less than I did pre-pregnancy.