Handful of Heppers: Getting Ready and Set...

...but not quite ready to GO! We've got about a month to go (by mid-June I'll be 36 weeks and the twins can safely arrive with little risk of issues) and while in some ways I feel like the time can't pass fast enough, I mostly feel overwhelmed by the idea that my life is about to be turned upside down by the arrival of these little ladies and sad that I'll be losing my one-on-one time with Caroline.
I've been very busy ordering things (I swear I'm probably Target and Amazon.com's favorite customer), getting out and cleaning baby gear, washing clothes, and trying to convey to Caroline some idea of what's about to rock her world. Although, Caroline seems to be coping with the upcoming change better than anyone! I know she doesn't fully understand the whole situation yet, but it is uncanny how much she does seem to grasp.
She is well aware that Mommy has two babies in her tummy, she knows the babies names (even though she can't quite pronounce them correctly), and she is definitely familiar with all the baby gear that the twins will use.
Last week she insisted that we put an infant seat in the car with one of her baby dolls, and then requested that I roll "bebe's window down". Caroline has also be extremely busy testing out all the baby gear with her own two baby dolls, spending up to an hour each day moving them from the swings, to the stroller, to the bassinets, etc. and talking to them while offering bottles, snacks, and toys. Some baby care skills on which Caroline has room for improvement are gently putting the babies down (it's a good thing her baby doll's heads are made of plastic) and leaving the babies in appropriate places (see below). All in all, while I know the arrival of the twins will be traumatic in many ways for Caroline, I think she's about as prepared as one can be at 2 years of age. Let's hope these last several weeks bring a little more peace of mind to me!

P.S. For those of you curious about how the twins are doing these days, it seems they are moving along just fine! They're growing well, heartbeats are solid, and I've shown no signs whatsoever of pre-term labor (although I hope this isn't a sign they'll hang in there much longer than 36/37 weeks!). Next week, I have an appointment for which I was instructed to "pack an overnight bag." I won't be really staying overnight, but the appointment will include an ultrasound, separate visits with the high-risk OB and my general OB, and a fetal stress test for each girl (which I'm told takes at least 30 minutes for each twin). That plus the inevitable wait time in the office, and I'm definitely planning on bringing a good book and lots of snacks!
As for me, I'm hanging in there pretty well. I've definitely reached the point of pregnancy where aches and pains are present before I even get out of bed, I'm scrounging around for clothes that still fit, and I'm getting looks from people in public like, "ooh, I bet she's about to go any day now!" That being said, taking care of a toddler is an excellent distraction from these nuisances, and we've got a fabulous babysitter who's happy to step in when Mommy needs a little down time :)