Carrying High or Low: I am carrying high, which indicates I am carrying a girl.

Carrying out front or all over: I am carrying a “basketball” all front and center, indicating I am having a boy.

Baby’s Heart Beat: 140+ beats per minute indicates a girl, and below 140 a boy. Well, I am right in the middle at 140! Go figure!

Cravings: Sweet means girl and Salty means boy: My bizarre cravings are sweet, but I have always liked salty stuff – now I just want more of it!

Chinese Birth Chart – according to this, I am having a boy. Here is a link to one incase you are interested yourself: Try it here!

Legend has it that the Mayans determined a baby's sex by looking at the mother's age at conception and the year of conception. If both are even or odd, it's a girl. If one's even and one's odd, it's a boy. For me both are even indicating girl.

They say a baby girl steals your beauty. I have been fortunate to avoid pregnancy breakouts and I have had the best hair days of my life – I no longer use a blow dryer! So therefore I must be having a boy.

Morning sickness plagued me for the first 18 weeks and appears to be starting up again {lovely} indicating that I am having a girl.

Every poll I take peg me at somewhere between 60/40 or a straight 50/50 split.  Nearly everyone I know is prediciting boy, but my blog poll is indicating a lead for the girl...so who knows!?!?  What do you think?



{I sort of look like a deer in headlights, but the baby bump is cute!}



Today, my family is gathering at Arlington National Cemetery for the internment of my grandfather Ret. Lt. Col. Leo James Paradise.  He passed away in May at the age of 82.


Joining us at Arlington will be my grandmother, Pop-pop's 7 children, their spouses, and many of my cousins and extended family. 

What on earth am I talking about?  My past week.  Let's just say that allergy season is back in full force causing me to go through a lot of tissues...and a lot of honey!  Fortunately for my CSA I can go the natural route with my allergies and use local honey which helps tremendously.  {Amanda, thanks for the tip!} 

We took a crazy impromptu trip to PA mid-afternoon on Saturday to visit Mark's grandfather who recently had surgry.  No trip to Philly is complete without a cheese steak, so Mark accomodated the pregnant woman in his life {read: me} and pulled off the Blue Route for a late lunch at Thunderbird's.  Here I am proudly displaying my belly bump after scarfing down my favorite food:

Their cheese steaks are really good!

...over at Calligraphy by Shannon

My dear friend Lina will be a contributing blogger featuring her savy fiscal skills and love for crafting.  The feature, entitles: "Make It, Fake It, or Buy It" will cover topics ranging from home decorating to weddings and all things inbetween.  Swing on over to see what she has to say about sprucing up for a bit less!

p.s. Check out our cool new button to promote her feature!

It happens to me every year.  In an effort to hang on to every last drop of summer, I crave beach inspired decor.  This year, in my hunt for a baby mobile that didn't have fluffy animals, I turned towards capiz.  In theory in is "all-year" decor, but for me I think it is a last ditch effort to carry the beach into deep Autumn.

Here are a few lookers that have caught my eye recently:

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I am so NOT ready for summer to end.  It is not allowed.  I want it to last forever!  Summer is a splendid time of laid back lazy days, good food, great times, and memory building.  This year, I just can't get over the closing of my favorite season {secret: all of my season are my favorite at the end...I never want them to be over!}  Well, here are the reasons I am not quite ready to let go...

1. White Jeans

My favorite white jeans STILL FIT even though I am 24 weeks pregnant!  Why would anyone want to give that up!?


2. Not Enough Beach

Does anyone really ever get enough beach time?  I could go and sit and read each and every day all summer long. Seriously.  I love the beach.

Beautiful weekend weather has been drawing us to our balcony.  Here is our breakfast from the other morning - featuring the post recipe - Apple Butter.  This is a cooking light recipe recommended by my dear friend Beth who understands the importance of enjoying all things savory!

Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

You all have helped me decide on knobs for the baby dresser...

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I already ordered both from Anthropologie.  They arrived quickly and I love them!  The colors work together very well and certainly brighten up the space!  I cannot wait to share more ideas I have been coming up with for the nursery.

There has been much debate and anxiety over the fact that we have the gender of our baby tucked away safely in an envelope. So...without further adieu, we are letting you vote!

What is Shannon Carrying?

Sunday marked 23 weeks for us and baby.  We were blessed with the joy of kicks all day long!  Mark even got to feel a solid kick for the first time.  We met good friends for brunch at Founding Farmers.  I liked my outfit and my hair so we took pictures before we left...




...now if only I could learn to like my smile.


p.s. I am welcoming "pose" suggestions.  Please help me look less awk-mac (definition: a mac truck of awkwardness)


p.p.s. In case you were wondering, I ate the Waffles Banana Foster and drank Hot Chocolate for breakfast...I think my mouth is still watering days later!

Maryland Blue Crabs, nothing beats them...well except for maybe when you get to catch 'em right out of the bay and steam them within a few minutes!  All you need is some vinegar and Old Bay.  Yup, that is living life right there.  Good ol' Eastern Shore crabs.

Incredible view from the dock.

Crabbing is SERIOUS business.

Pulling up the traps - they look full!

8 crabs in a single pot!

I have always found them beautiful!

The little suckers were clinging to the sides making it quite difficult.

Mark bravely grabs them with his bare hands.

Half our catch.  Now we head back to the house to cook 'em up!

Look at those blue claws!

Steamed and Covered in Old Bay.  Perfect.