Lauren's First Flight

Hooray for little Lauren! She survived her first foray into air travel with flying colors. After six hours on the plane, we expected fussiness and tears, but this angel baby was all smiles. Here's the picture to prove it. She's simply amazing.

Daddy's girl

This morning, before church, I asked Jon to dress little L while I got ready. He put her in this gorgeous embroidered cable knit ensemble that instantly made her the envy of all baby girls everywhere. I was lucky enough to capture the father-daughter moment on film just before my camera battery gave out. Priceless.

Nurturing Jack's Creative Side

Jack loves to paint, color, and draw, but I've been reluctant to give him the tools necessary to craft his masterpieces out of fear that doing so might mean the irreparable destruction of clothes, carpet, walls, and the like. Last week, however, I came across a set of markers billed as "The World's Most Washable Washable Markers." Although skeptical at first, I decided to give it a go. Here's a photo of Jack putting the world's most washable washable markers to the test. After covering his entire body in purple, blue, and orange, we dunked him in the tub sans washcloth to see what would happen. To my total delight, the body art disappeared completely within a matter of seconds with no scrubbing and no visible traces of color. So it looks like Jack has the greenlight to tap into his inner Vermeer (or should I say Pollack?) after all. Somewhere, Mimi -- Jack's great-grandmother and an exceptional artist in her own right -- is smiling.

Dazzlin'

The first time I set eyes on a dazzleband(tm), I knew I wanted a baby girl next. So when a surprise package of these to-die-for hair accessories arrived this weekend from the dazzlebands creator herself, it was all smiles for Lauren and me both. Here's little L. modeling the goods. Thank you so much, Tarah! We love them!

At the Pumpkin Patch

We spotted this cute little pumpkin patch off the side of the road yesterday and pulled over to explore. It was especially brisk out and getting colder by the minute, but we managed to snap a few pics before the kids started shivering. Here's a look:

Steeler Mania

It's no secret that my dad is a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan. It turns out that little J shares the same passion for the team (is there a gene for that?): he insisted on wearing this jersey for three straight days and nights after it arrived in the mail. I thought he'd never let us wash it! Go Steelers!

We're Back!

Hello again to all of our family and friends! We were on a forced internet fast for more than a month thanks to a major delay in moving to our new place, hence the long hiatus from the blogosphere. It's a long story, but in short, the apartment's previous tenant and rumored pro-athlete hadn't exactly left everything spic and span on move-out day. In fact, the leasing office personnel characterized the apt's condition as "The worst we've ever seen." So we camped out in the city for a few more weeks, everything boxed up, while walls were patched and painted, carpet replaced, etc. It was worth the wait. We're here now and thrilled to finally be roaming the pretty and preppy Metro-West 'burbs. And with so many lovely little spots for picture-taking nearby, we promise to be posting photos galore. Here's a quick one of little L to start.

On the move

We are in the process of moving this week so check back later for updates.

Lovely Lauren

Here are a few more photos of our new little dream baby. She is wonderful beyond words.

Mom Recovers, Lauren Sleeps, & Jack Parties at Poppy's Place

I'm just getting back on my feet after an unexpected and most unwelcome post-delivery infection put me back in the hospital through Tuesday. Thankfully, Lauren was an angel throughout the ordeal, comfortable and content in the familiar surroundings of Brigham and Women's. Hospital policy banned little Jack from even one visit, so my dad whisked him away for a week and a half of non-stop fun at Poppy's Place in Virginia. I miss him so much I can hardly bear it, especially since today is his second birthday (he has lots of presents waiting for him here in Boston). By all accounts, though, and as this photo suggests, he's having the time of his life. Happy Birthday, Jack! We love you to pieces!

Introducing Lauren Alexis Taylor

We're thrilled to announce the arrival Lauren Alexis Taylor, born at Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston on July 29th at 2:55pm, weighing in at a healthy 7 pounds 15 ounces. She is so beautiful and angelic that we can hardly bear to set her down (even now, I'm typing this one-handed). We can't wait to introduce her in person to all of our family and friends.

Countdown to Baby #2

As of today, we have only three weeks to go before our new baby girl is scheduled to make her debut. We can't wait to meet her!

Ladies' Man

A month shy of just two years old, Jack already has a way with women. In recent weeks, he's refined the art of winking, smiling, and looking sufficiently adorable as to impel whole packs of little girls to chase him from place to place with glee. Here's a photo of the phenomenon in action, this time outside Prudential Center in downtown Boston. As you can see, he doesn't seem to mind the attention!

Summer Fun

It's been too long since our last post! Here's a quick recap of what we've been up to since we last checked in at the Tattle Taylor:

June 24, Boston, MA -- When out of Jon's arms, Jack almost stole the show from Mitt Romney -- and almost knocked down a speaker or two -- at a campaign rally back at Fenway.

June 23, Cambridge, MA -- Truly the son of a one-time "lacrosse legend," Jack watched the Boston Cannons Major League LAX game at Harvard Stadium with keen interest. Look for him on the field in a few years....

June 20, Ipswich, MA -- Jack and his friend Riley were ready to set sail (and away from the rainstorms!) at beautiful Crane Beach on the north shore.

June 16, Boston, MA -- Go Sox! Jack cheered on his new home team from prime seats at historic Fenway Park.

June 9, Kennebunkport, ME -- The cold wind and clouds couldn't keep Jack from enjoying every minute of our impromptu visit to Goose Rocks Beach near Kennebunkport, Maine.

June 7, Plum Island, MA -- Walking stick in hand, Jack explored the sandy trails of Plum Island, a pristine beach and national wildlife refuge near the New Hampshire border.

June 6, Boston, MA -- Jack sampled four tasty scoops of ice cream for a good cause at the nation's largest all-you-can-eat ice cream festival and fundraiser for pediatric cancer research.

May 31, Bluffton, SC -- Jack and cousin Sarah had so much fun at Aunt Katy's graduation, they didn't want to leave. Congratulations again, Katy! We're so proud of you!

A Big Boston Hello

Just a quick post to say "hello" to family and friends who have checked in of late, only to find no updates on little J's latest adventures. We're working on a mega-post now to make it up to you!

Surf's Up!

Our Memorial Day post must have generated some real sympathy among our family and friends, because by the following day, we had not one but two invitations to real-deal sand-and-ocean beaches.

Wednesday morning, our friend Whitney and her adorable daughter Riley showed us the way to Good Harbor Beach near Gloucester, Massachusetts. It was gorgeous -- so much so that we could hardly believe we were just 40 miles from the city. Jack made the most of every minute, racing through the waves, rolling in the sand, and jumping into every pick-up game of frisbee, wiffle ball, and catch happening among the other beachgoers. At one point, I asked him, "Jack, is this the best day of your life?" He threw up his arms in an emphatic "Yes!"

And it got even better. Almost as soon as we cruised back into Boston, Jack and I, still sandy and now slightly sunburnt from the morning's outing, whisked away for an impromptu getaway to the South Carolina coast. This trip came courtesy of none other than Poppy,* who surprised us with the invitation just the evening prior. By sheer luck, the airline seated us next to him on our connecting flight from Charlotte to Savannah. By the time we arrived, Jack was sleeping soundly, but when he woke up the next morning to that familiar lowcountry sunshine, his little face was immediately beaming with delight.

Here's a sampling of photos from Good Harbor. Many thanks to Whitney, our fabulous photographer for the day. Stay tuned for pictures from our south shore (way south!) getaway in an upcoming post.

*My dad's post-grandchildren moniker

Memorial Day 2007

For the last three years, we've spent our Memorial Days (and close to every day in between) on the beach in Hilton Head, South Carolina. This year, we attempted to simulate the experience Boston-style, with a walk to Boston Harbor and the nearby sandpit at the North End playground. Here are photos of our beach-baby-turned-city-slicker enjoying the holiday. He had a blast.

A Zen Moment Turns Ugly

Yesterday, with the sun gleaming and the sky cloudless for the first time in weeks, Jack and I decided to celebrate with a stroll to the New England Aquarium, where the good weather meant that there would be harbor seals swimming in the front display pool. There is something about watching these glossy-nosed creatures glide through the water that translates to perfect peace; Jack, his own little nose tucked up against the glass, was basking in it.

This was, of course, until a six- or seven-year-old girl bearing a striking resemblance to a bulldozer ran up and bodyslammed Jack to the concrete to catch a better view. The tears that came streaming down his cheeks could have filled up the seals' pool twice over! In a show of classic Northeastern courtesy, she exhibited no signs of remorse, and her mother, just behind her, barely muttered a "sorry."

My maternal instincts kicked into high gear, and it was all I could do not to toss these two into the shark tank. Mustering every ounce of willpower to quell the adrenaline, I whisked Jack away, sobbing and bruised, managing to eek out an "It's ok" to the perpetrators while I tucked him into his stroller for a quick escape.

Afterwards, Jon advocated a more direct-action response to the assault. "You can't let that stuff go," he said. "You should have just smacked her."

Next time, we're bringing him with us.

Mittens in May

This week, just when we thought spring was finally upon us, the sun left town and the temperatures dropped like a rock. Even in the face of heavy winds and rain, Jack was undaunted. He managed hours of play at the Coolidge Corner park in nearby Brookline, braving slippery equipment and knee-deep puddles, happy as a pig in mud. And when, by the end of the week, our umbrella finally succumbed to the elements and left us soaked over several city blocks and with no stroller canopy to cover him, Jack yelled out an observant "Brrr!" and kept smiling the whole way home. We'll all be smiling when the weather warms up! Wish us luck as we bear up against the last vestiges of the long New England winter. Brrr!