Tomatoes and woes

I haven't necessarily had strong cravings through out the pregnancy.  If anything I've had more "aversions" than cravings.  Oh how I miss you sauerkraut.  Hopefully you'll taste yummy again after Lily pops out. *sigh*  However, last week I discovered a real, true, craving, the incredible, delish, tomato.  It was quite by accident.  With the weather finally warming up to its South Carolinian potential Cayce took the time to charcoal hamburgers one evening.  Well I felt terribly indulgent knowing we were having only burgers and fries, so Lily needed a veggie to go with the meal.  I remembered, AH HA, I had grape tomatoes left over from the salad I had been noshing on for the week.  The logistics of putting tiny cherry tomatoes on my burger posed an issue, but I decided I'd just slice each in half, similar to a dill pickle chip, and put a few on there.  I'm lucky ANY tomatoes made it onto the burger.  I started slicing, and started eating them.  OMG, they were so delicious!  I probably ate 6 whole ones while trying to just slice a few for my burger.  I could not get enough.  From that evening on I've found a way to incorporate tomatoes into every meal.  I even sauteed chicken with onion, tomatoes, and olive oil for supper one night (and Cayce actually ATE the tomatoes, of course not the onions, but, baby steps, baby steps).  When I can't figure out a way to add tomatoes in the meal, I've just started slicing and putting them on my plate like a side.  Cayce finds this disgusting, but I figure if I'm going to crave something, better tomatoes than deep fried oreos (which actually sounds disgusting).  Here's hoping Lily will develop a taste for the yummy fruit!  I think this summer I'll try one of those cherry tomato plants in a pot. Mmm vine ripened tomatoes.  Surely I can't kill one of those.    Surely. 

On the baby front we're at 38 weeks today!  My pregnancy induced carpal tunnel has gotten worse.  I pretty much have no feeling in my right middle and index fingers.  This has made using all the glassware in our kitchen pretty scary.  Lily's either making herself comfy on a nerve somewhere or I've hurt my neck somehow.  For two days now I've been unable to sleep laying down.  I have an excruciating pain going from just below my right shoulder blade, up my neck, and into the base of my head.  Standing, walking, even sitting to an extent is pain free, but the minute I lay down the pain dramatically intensifies.  I did not sleep at all Tuesday night.  I'm sure that helped my blood pressure.  I took a long hot shower around 7:30 AM and was able to knock whatever loose and sleep for about two hours, and then it was BACK.  I can lay comfortably on my back.  Since that's a no-no, that realization hasn't helped much.  Lily had the hiccups yesterday afternoon and while I knew she was alive and kicking I took that time and laid down on my back on the couch.  I fell asleep for about an hour.  I have tried all the stretches I learned from a physical therapist, have had Cayce give me deep back rubs, taken way too much tylenol for my comfort (not that it helped AT ALL), tried to lay down every which way, tried to sleep in the recliner, and wore an icy hot patch all day, all in vain.  Finally, last night I think I was just so exhausted that around midnight I was able to just pass out.  I was able to get a solid night's sleep.  Cayce told me today that I must have been sleeping well because I was snoring loud.  He on the other hand was not able to sleep well because of my snoring, but he said he knew I was finally sleeping and didn't want to wake me like he normally does when I start snoring.  So I thank him for that.  I kept telling myself if I could just get a good night's sleep the pain would go away.  It hasn't.  It's not as bad as it was Tuesday or yesterday, but it's there.  If it hasn't markedly improved by Monday I'll mention it at my appointment.  My main concern isn't the pain.  It's the lack of sleep.  The last time I went without sleep my blood pressure suffered greatly.  Since it's already trying to creep up, the current no sleeping will not help at all.  On Monday I was told to do nothing, literally, to try and get my pressure down.  I'm to focus all my blood flow to Lily, not my legs and limbs, telling me not to walk much, shop, clean, etc.  We were warned if I didn't get control of the blood pressure they would opt to induce, but my body is not ready for labor at all, and she said it would most likely end up a c-section.  No, no, no, I do not want a c-section.  So here's to being lazy, trying to minimize the pain, and SLEEP.  All so once Lily's here I'm not worried about the recovery from major abdominal surgery, but I can just focus all my energy on loving, cuddling, and caring for the little princess.