!. Man, oh, man what IS it with this week? I feel like everyone I know has been struggling with something, so much strain in the air. Then I wake up today to find out that Robin Roberts, who has been SO kind to me when I have visited GMA (and made many of those visits possible) lost her mother last night. This when she’s also going to undergo a bone marrow transplant next week. I know she’s a strong person, but come on, Universe! It’s all most too much to bear. I have a dear friend that is going back in for a second surgery after having a major one last week, as well, all because her aftercare in the hospital wasn’t as good as it should have been. Plus hurricanes, and grocery store shootings and, and….I’m just saying, something REALLY good must be coming up around the bend. A glimpse of it right now would be nice, though.

2. In other news, my daughter turns five this weekend. FIVE! Oh, man. I really does feel like only yesterday that I was lumbering around, hugely pregnant, enduring jokes about having a baby on Labor Day. (Ha! Ha! I had no sense of humor at nine months plus, by the way. NONE whatsoever.) It’s true what they say about the days being long but the years going quickly. I was out with her on her bike yesterday, watching her wobble down the street—she’s still on training wheels—and it just blew my mind. She wants me to stay close but also wants to be independent, so we compromise and I just put a finger on her handlebars. She puts her hand over it, and we move along. Okay, I have a lump in my throat just writing that. It’s going to be one of those many tissue weekends, I think. Break out the box!

3. When I’m not crying, I’ll probably be having a nervous breakdown, as for some reason my daughter’s birthday party is giving me panic attacks. People: it is seven kids, an hour and a half, and not at my house. What is my problem? I have no idea, but for some reason I’m looking at this like some sort of Death March I have to endure. And it’s supposed to be a HAPPY THING! It may have something to do with the fact that I organized all of this myself—place, cake, invites, favors, presents—so if anything goes wrong, it’s all on me. And I just want my kid to be happy. Which, truly, she would be with just about anything. Okay, I’m going to stop writing about this before I have go breathe into a paper bag.

4. You know what would be a great thing right now? This:

You’re welcome. Personally, I feel better already. This is why I have a Pinterest board that is nothing BUT pictures of puppies. Because it’s like a visual Prozac. Which, now that I think about it, would be a GREAT band name. Hmmm….

5. Finally, for your Friday, an update on the reading front. I finished Jess Walter’s BEAUTIFUL RUINS, which was just SO good and epic, especially the ending. Wow. Now I have moved on to Amy Sohn’s PROSPECT PARK WEST, which is all about Brooklyn moms. It’s fun and well written and reminds me a lot of Jennifer Weiner’s books, which I also love, especially LITTLE EARTHQUAKES. Next up, Jonathan Tropper’s latest, ONE LAST THING BEFORE I GO, which I have been saving because I know once I finish it I’ll have to wait awhile for another new book from him. On audio, I finished BEAUTY, DISRUPTED, a memoir by supermodel Carre Otis. It was really interesting and I will never look at Mickey Rourke (who she was married to for a time) the same way again. Man, there’s some crazy sauce there! Now I’m finally listening to Patti Smith’s JUST KIDS, which everyone has raved about, and I totally see why. It’s like a memoir written in poetry, just so lovely, and listening to it really brings out both her voice and the language. Also, it totally makes me want to move to New York, be wild and artistic, and live solely by street smarts and creativity. Which I would totally do…if I didn’t have a five year old’s birthday party to deal with. Oh, who am I kidding. I’m WAY too uptight to be a bohemian. I don’t think they, as a rule, need to breathe into paper bags. But maybe I’m wrong?

Okay, off to buy balloons and cupcakes. Have a great weekend, everyone!