Terrible 2's

I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because she is now officially two. Maybe it's because she's been off the Mitotane for almost a week (officially - we didn't stop it completely until we got the results from the PET scan, even though we were supposed to stop it three days prior... semantics, really ;-). Or maybe she is just a jerk.

I think it's probably a combination of the first and second options.

Eleanor has been extremely resistant to everything lately. She fights putting on clothes, getting out of the tub, eating, sleeping, NOT digging through the garbage... you name it, she has got a problem with it. Welcome to the terrible two's! She seems to be playing the angle that she has a lot of catching up to do, so she is EXTRA fussy and controlling. When I don't want to tear my hair out, I feel bad for her. She is still so limited with communication and movement that it's hard for her to express what she wants (or doesn't). It must be terribly frustrating, but I'm frustrated too! I spent longer getting ready for a stupid walk today than actually walking! And momma-bear is getting FAT and needs to walk! Oh wait, it's pronounced "pregnant". Right.

But all of us needed a walk today. My poor dog is seriously neglected these days. I do my best to exercise the snot out of her, but it's getting harder and harder to meet her needs. She had a bad belly yesterday and pooped in my car (while driving, so there was very little I could do) and again in the living room. Like a ninja. On my freshly cleaned carpet. Ugh. But rather than get mad and frustrated, I acknowledge her bad belly and the unfortunate change to her routine and strive to make her life more comfortable. Just like I strive to make Eleanor's tantrums more bearable. Yes. Patience is a virtue I covet, but unfortunately lack.

Anyway, we struggled through the excessive layers of clothing, the assembly of the stroller and the awkward elevator ride and the three of us enjoyed the craziest, windiest, wettest walk of the year. Because of Washington State's protective, older-brother-like hug around Victoria, we rarely get big breakers rolling in, but today the sea was arching and crashing! Atia and I got smoked by a wave that crashed over the sea wall along Dallas Rd. Eleanor was safely ensconced in her bubble, eating Goldfish and pulling off her shoes. The wind and the rain and the sea were so loud I couldn't hear her protesting. When we turned away from the ocean, I realized that our idillic (though blustery) walk was over. Thankfully it was long enough to keep Atia quiet for the rest of the morning and give me an excuse to eat cookies while I write this!

Tomorrow we head out to our last doctor's appointment of 2012. We saw oncology on Monday and did a bone-age X-ray as well as some blood work and tomorrow we see endocrine. Hopefully everything comes back normal. Her puberty-like symptoms continue to baffle all her docs and they, like us, are just hoping they all go away and she can resume looking like the normal toddler she is. We are just super thankful that this holiday season is so much less dramatic than last year's PICU stay. I'll take quick clinic visits over that debacle any day!