Warning: TMI. Gonna' talk periods here, folks. Consider yourselves warned.

I've been having a tough time the last few days. I touched on it a bit yesterday. I've never suffered horribly from PMS...at least not that I've noticed. I'd get a bit moody each month. I'd get a little tired. I'd have a few cramps easily treated with Tylenol. And then I had kids.

In between BabyGirl & #1 Son, I only had 5 periods. In between #1 Son & B.B. I had none (yeah, you read that right). After #1 Son was born, I cycled for a full year before Bitsy came along. Bitsy was a few days shy of her first birthday when I started again. Since then things have been...odd.

Cramps that can lay me out flat on the couch for at least two or three days at a time. Back aches that make walking painful. Bone tired weariness. And mood swings that never, ever make an up swing. If I could take a bottle of Aleve, a heating pad, and a big book & lock myself in my room for a week, I would. And I'm pretty sure my family would support the decision.

Last night I was Googling PMS symptoms. Husband asked what I was reading & I told him. I said, "Mood swings & can deal with. But I'm angry for 4 or 5 days. Irate really." Husband said, "Yeah," as though I hadn't told him anything he didn't already know. Smart man not bringing it up....ever. That may have been grounds for full blown, nuclear meltdown.

A week from Wednesday I go see my OB for my yearly check up (that's way overdue). I need to start making my list of things to discuss with him. This cannot go on. Someone will not survive.

And I fear that BabyGirl's hormones are swinging right along with mine. She has been bossy, angry, & unbearable since Friday. I'm currently scared witless of Summer break. If she's like this all Summer, it's going to be HORRIBLE. I hate thinking that, but that's the way things stand right now.

In non-menstrual related news: I'm really hoping Art can hitch a ride with my folks this weekend. I really need some time with grown ups I see rarely & love dearly.

I'm endeavoring to use my clothes line more this summer. The rumors of major increases in the cost of electricity is enough to get Husband on board. He's restrung my clothes line & secured the wiggly post that was leaving my sheets to the mercy of wandering cats. Last summer, it was rarely used. This summer I plan on keeping it full.

Husband picked up a new humming bird feeder for me Friday. I had read that a perch on a feeder is a very good thing for the birds. They expend so much energy hovering, that they have to eat more just to have energy enough to eat! Husband remembered me saying that & hunted one up for me. The humming birds seem to love it. I had three buzzing around it this morning.

You may have noticed a new feature at the bottom of my posts. It's called LinkWithin. I saw it on Sarah's Ordinary Days blog & really loved it. It hunts through the archives & links back to long forgotten posts. I've already revisited some things I really needed to hear, things that made me smile, and things that nearly brought a tear to my eye. Click away & enjoy. I am.