Sara Cole with adopted daughter Rosie Barnes-Cole, 4.

Four years ago, Sara Cole thought she was prepared to welcome a black infant into her family, dutifully reading books and articles on transracial adoptions that an adoption agency recommended.

Through the first three years of adopted daughter Rosie’s life, Cole busied herself with being a mom. The sociological effect of the adoption never seemed particularly relevant to the white woman.

Then about a year or so ago, Rosie started piping up. "That person looks like me. That person has curly hair like me," she would say when she saw other African-Americans.

"I thought this was a big deal," Cole said Tuesday as Rosie, 4, played on her lap in the living room of their Montlake home.