frazzle stage

sparrow is making me crazy these days. though i still watch all her frazzle-causing activities with much love and amusement. and also sighing, for it is bittersweet. so much growing up and changing. she is teething all kinds right now, for one thing, plus she is getting really good at walking and wants to do nothing but walk. and be outside. and walk. outside. and climb stairs. outside. i have not cooked a meal all week. we have resorted to eating pre-bagged salads and freezer pizzas. the child is getting fearsome independent, too; she won't let me hold her hand, a lot of times, when we are walking outside, and pulls her hand away and says, "naw." i thought this sort of behavior would not begin until age 2 or so...
she hangs at my pants all day and screws up her face and throws her head back and makes this sound: "HEEEEAIIIIIIIIIIGH!" i try to tell her to use her nice voice. and say please. these requests rarely sink in, and i really don't know how to discipline a child this young for a tone of voice. do i spank her for that? will she understand? her patience is so short with me these days; i feel like i am annoying her all the time. today we were at the playground and she wanted help getting up onto one of the play structures. she made her loud whiny sound, and i asked her to ask nicely and say please. she began to use a softer voice but absolutely could not get herself to do the "please" sign, and therefore she began to shriek again, but decided to give up on me and go find a place where she could get up herself. and she did it, too. forget mom! i feel like i a getting a small taste of what it's like to have a teenager in the house.