Is this the beginning of menopause?

I am a 44 year old woman. For about a year now, I have been getting periods every other month, instead of every month. Sometimes I feel so hot, I feel feverish, even when no else thinks it's hot. The hair on my legs is getting thinner, while the hair on my upper lip is getting thicker. Also, I'm moody-- I can go from crying my eyes out to laughing in the space of three minutes. And I find people in my family irritating, even though they're doing what they've always done. Is this the beginning of menopause?