37 weeks and one more White House visit!

I think this is the last one... My 9th trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue this year, since Obama took office and since I have been carrying a little Lima Bean in my belly!

Today I had routine White House pool duty. So I arrived for pool call time at 8:30 a.m. (thanks Papa Bean for the ride!) and attended an East Room reception honoring new U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Here is my Week 37 bump photo, in front of the East Wing entrance:

In his remarks, President Obama made this statement, which I hope Lima Bean heard and paid attention to. He said: "While this is Justice Sotomayor's achievement, the result of her ability and determination, this moment is not just about her. It's about every child who will grow up thinking to him- or herself, 'If Sonia Sotomayor can make it, then maybe I can too.'"

So whatever name we choose for Baby Lima Bean, it must be able to work with the titles "Justice," "Congresswoman," "Senator" and "President." You know, just in case. :-)

According to my pregnancy books, Lima Bean should be about 6 pounds and fully developed. But although she is now considered "full term," she will continue to grow and develop the longer she stays in her utero home.

And, finally, what you have all been waiting for... I have finally achieved watermelon status. Behold, my final fruit picture!

Lima Bean is "full term"!!

That's right folks, pack your bags and stay by the phone... As of this week, Lima Bean is considered "full term" and welcome to join us in the real world anytime she wants! 

We had our Week 37 doctor's appointment this morning and that's what our doctor said. Eeek! Working feverishly to pack our bags and get things ready! 

Here is a picture from this morning:

Some details from today's appointment: 

• I weighed in at one pound less than last week, so +30 total. 
  
• My test from last week came back good. 
  
• My belly is measuring on track. 
  
• When our doctor went to listen to baby Lima Bean's heartbeat, she decided to stick her butt out, causing my stomach to lurch and our doctor to exclaim that we don't even need to hear her heartbeat if we can see her move that much! 
  
• We still did and her heartbeat was strong and steady. 
  
• Baby Bean is head down, so at this point I'm told there is a 95% chance that she'll stay that way. She has not "dropped," however. Not as far as I can tell at least...
  
• Not dialated at all. 
  

Our next doctor's appointment is Wednesday, Aug. 19th. We'll get our last ultrasound then too!