Wow, there is a lot of advice here! I agree with a lot of it. Some, not so much.
The most important thing is to be yourself. If cooking, or guitar playing, or whatever is what you like to do, then do it. On the other hand, trying something that you know she likes, even if you are a bumbling idiot when you try, can be appealing to some women, as they see that you are trying to impress them.
Just seeing a guy play with kids (or animals) wouldn't do it for me unless I saw that it was something that came from his heart (not just as a ploy to trap a woman).
Having similar interests is always good, but don't worry if you don't like everything she likes and she likes everything you like. You don't necessarily have to have
all the same interests, but you should have some, and you
do have to support her in her interests (and she needs to support yours).
Someone mentioned not letting her help out. That would be true for some women but not true for others (some have a real calling to be helpful).
In other words, as you were already told, all women are different and all men are different. You sort what you can out before marriage, then you spend the rest of your life together trying to figure each other out. That's actually part of what keeps a marriage young and vibrant!
And remember Matt, love comes at the most interesting times, and usually when you are not expecting it. Relax, and remember that His timing is perfect.
Barbara