Somebody stop me.

I am out-of-control excited about my birthday.

I’m not really sure why. Except…

Maybe it’s the way I’ve been trained. A late night review of home videos proves that my birthday has always been quite the event.

Maybe it’s that last year I was deathly ill, and I’m intent on celebrating healthily in 2009.

Maybe it’s because I’m married and counting on my b.f.f. to make my birthday super special.

Maybe it’s the realization that it’s the only “holiday” I’ve got until Memorial Day.

Or maybe it’s because I refuse to believe that birthdays past 21 don’t mean a thing, so I’m over-compensating with excessive excitement.

Whatever the reason, with seven days remaining until the big day, I’m devoting some blog posts to the blessed event. On today’s blogging menu, my current birthday obsession: the cupcake.

Forget cookie cake; I could even do without ice cream. This year, I’m craving a cupcake. Thank you, Martha Stewart, for fueling my madness by featuring cupcakes on this month’s cover of Martha Stewart Living. If you haven’t seen this month’s issue, satisfy your curiosity by checking out these beauties:

1. Samples from Susie Cakes. 2. The Red Velvet cupcake from Cupcake Royale. 3. Happy Cakes creations. 4. Martha Stewart chocolate chip cupcake. 5. Initial cupcakes from Vanilla Bake Shop. 6. Susie Cakes signature strawberry cupcake. 7. Candy Cane cupcakes from Happy Cakes. 8. The Kate cupcake from Cupcake Royale. 9. Lovelies from Vanilla Bake Shop.

Do I have your attention? Now just read the menus from these delectable bakeries, and tell me you’re not cupcake-crazy.

That’s what I thought.