TANTRUM

Lucy has found a new way of communicating. The tantrum.
It's not really new, but it has been far more frequent lately. They are most frequent when we are outside, on an outting or when we have friends around. Most involve yelling "No" at me many times and bursting into tears and rambling on about whatever she has gotten into trouble about. All at the top of her lungs. All with tears.
If I say anything to her in a calm voice she will usually stop dead in her tracks and say, "What?" in a sweet voice, as though she is being the best of children and just didn't hear me properly. When I say, "You need to go straight to time-out." or "This is unacceptable behaviour" then she will start to wail again.
Harper just sits and watches in amazement. Then she usually goes over to antagonize her sister in time-out. Of course, Lucy will hit or kick her and then we start all over again. I'm the one that needs a time-out.