Ukraine Adoption

All girl?

We can't help but try to figure out our children's personalities, who they are and what they will become as they grow. Sometimes I'm convinced that Tara will be what my son's friends call a "girly girl." They like to paint their nails, wear pretty clothes, fuss with their hair, talk on the phone and squeal at the sight of bugs.

Tara does those things, except for the bugs. She has no problem squashing a bug with her foot, her hand, a shoe, whatever. Tough girl. She also has no problem doing the rough and tumble with her brother (she has a good right-hand swat). She also likes to run really fast, a lot, and she can grab the rings on the swing set, pull herself up, flip over and land on her feet like an Olympian. So maybe she will be both a girly girl and a sports girl.

That's a lot like her cousin Caroline, who is almost 15 and visiting us for a few days. Yesterday, the two sat on our porch while Caroline put makeup on Tara's face, put her hair up just like hers, and painted her nails. Tara was so pleased! This was more of a makeup lesson; when we picked up Caroline, Tara was in the back seat with lipstick about an inch around her mouth, white powder on her face ("I WANT too much!" Tara had told me) and purple liquid eye shadow spread on her arms and legs. Don't even ask. (The makeup was courtesy of Auntie Karen, who now that I think about it, used to wear bright blue eye shadow when she was a teenager...Ahem)

Will she take dance classes? Play soccer, or an instrument?

I think maybe Tara will be one of those cute sports girls who doesn't mind if she breaks a nail, as long as she looks good doing it. So far, it's been fun to watch her blossom.