Was I like this?

Katie is now 12 and has changed so much over the past year. Her 5th grade teacher saw her at the middle school last week while taking the prospective 6th graders from the elementary school on a tour of the building. She mentioned to me in an e-mail that Katie looked so grown up-- with her long hair and contact lenses. She is still the imaginative kid who will play creative games with her younger brother, but she is getting older and noticing more about the world around her.
The other day she complained about the fact that many girls around her age are focused on boys and clothes. She said, "Mom, I just don't care about that stuff. Is it okay that I don't want to wear make-up and lots of jewelry?" Inside I was cheering, but I calmly reply, "Of course it's okay. You need to be comfortable with who you are and what you want to do."
Katie and I watched the film version of "Little Women" (Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, et al) this past weekend. She was entranced and could really identify with the character of Jo. Just like Jo, she loves to write and be dramatic. She would think nothing of cutting off her locks for a good cause. (She's done Locks of Love three times so far...) After the movie she wanted to run upstairs and continue work on the book she's writing. She loves Shakespeare and is taking a drama class at our local civic theater on Saturdays. For heaven's sake, the kid writes amazing sonnets in her spare time! As I watch her grow and see how she relishes life I cannot but wonder: Was I like this at her age? (Mom, this is the perfect chance to respond and show me that you actually have read my blog....)
Granted, she does have the teenage anxious moments, but for the most part she seems comfortable in her own skin. I don't remember being so confident. I just hope that she continues to confide in me and to be brave enough to simply be Katie.