1 trimester down, 2 more to go!!! :)

I am finally done with my first trimester!!!!! :) I can't believe it! Hopefully the next trimesters will go a lot faster! :) I have been so incredibly lucky with my pregnancy so far. Almost everyone that I have talked to say that the first trimester is the hardest because you are always sick with morning sickness and feel nauseous all of the time. Even though I gag all the time and have had a very intense acute sense of smell, I have only thrown up twice which is a miracle in and of itself. I think what has been the hardest for me so far, has been the lack of energy. Everyday I wake up and feel like train has just ran over me. But hopefully that now that I am in my 2nd trimester, I will gain a little energy back!
It still is totally incredible and exciting for me to think that I have a growing baby inside of me. About a week and a half ago, Paul and I went in for our monthly appointment and were able to hear the baby's heart beat for the first time. It was absolutely amazing. The doctor first showed us the sound of my heart beat, and then the baby's.. I could not believe how fast the baby's heart beat was compared to mine. It sounded like a galloping horse. It was so neat to hear.
It's also been a lot of fun to research about how big my baby is now and how the baby is developing at this time. Here are some facts that I have found about 14 weeks:

The baby may be anywhere from 3.2 to a little over 4 inches long by pregnancy week 14, and likely weighs close to one ounce!

• The ears have moved from the neck onto the head
• The digestive glands are complete
• The vocal cords are complete
• The thyroid gland starts to produce hormones
• The baby begins to practice inhaling and exhaling
• The baby's chin no longer rests on his or her chest
• For boys, the prostate gland is developing
• For girls, the ovaries move from the abdomen into the pelvis
• The hands are becoming functional.

EXCITING!! EXCITING!! only 5 3/4 months to go :)

The most tastey and deliciously wonderful white bread you have ever tasted!!!!

Ok, first of all, I am so sorry to all of you for being such a slacker. I know that it has been forever since I blogged last, and I appologize. I will try harder to keep my blog up to date.

Second of all, I had to tell you guys about the most wonderful free recipe site that I am a member of. It is called All recipes http://www.allrecipes.com/ and it has the most awesome recipes ever I think. Whenever I want to try a new recipe or find that perfect dish for a special occasion, I always turn to that site, and am never dissapointed. Just last week I made the most delicious white bread ever. Just one batch made 3 whole loaves of bread and they were extremely tastey. Honestly all 3 loaves were gone the morning after I made them. So here is the recipe and I hope you all try it out!!

Fabulous White Bread

INGREDIENTS
3 cups warm water
3 tablespoons active dry yeast
3 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
8 cups bread flour

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, salt, oil, sugar, and 4 cups flour. Mix thoroughly, and let sponge rise until doubled in size.
Gradually add about 4 cups flour, kneading until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn several times to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled.
Punch down the dough, let it rest a few minutes. Divide dough into three equal parts. Shape into loaves, and place in three 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch greased bread pans. Let rise until almost doubled.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 45 minutes. The loaves may need to be covered for the last few minutes with foil to prevent excess browning.