Struggling with a toddler

How do you tell the difference between your child ignoring you and a hearing loss? Should I really expect him to listen to me at age 22 months? Am I expecting too much already? My main concern is the random running away from me. It's great that he is gaining independence, but shouldn't he be able to understand that when I say "stop, turn around, and come back"? Does he understand and he's just testing his boundaries? Do I punish him for not listening? And if I do, what is an appropriate punishment for his age? It's very frustrating right now.
The crazy thing is, this is my favorite age. I love watching him learn things and do things on his own. I love the excitement when he discovers something new. I love that when he's in the middle of doing something he suddenly decides he needs to give me a hug and kiss. He is the best kid in the world (could I be biased...nah) and I love him so much! I just wish it was easier to make him listen.
Oh, well. Such is life.

a lumpy mess

I got the lump removed from my breast a couple of weeks ago. The surgery was pretty easy (I didn't even have to go under) and I recovered really quickly. My only issue was that I wasn't allowed to carry over 10 lbs. Well, my son is pushing 30 lbs. and he wasn't a fan of me not picking him up. I have discovered my son's true temper. He never really had a temper tantrum before (well, I thought he had, but to my dismay, I found out his tantrums could be worse). Oh, well, such is life.
Now, I've found another lump in my shin. I found one earlier this spring, and the doctor wasn't concerned, so I've ignored it. Now I found another small lump about 2-3 inches below the other one. I just got rid of one lump and now another one has to appear. Seriously? Right now I'm more annoyed then anything. I'm not a fan of random things that don't belong growing inside me.