Self-Directed... or Not

The girls have been playing with each other for about half an hour now, with NO assistance from Mom! This rarely happens, and it is making me so happy. First, I get to walk around with Brooks without having to explain that the baby needs my attention to a two-year-old who doesn't understand. Second, it's so wonderful, seeing these two buddies! And they're hilarious. They've mostly been celebrating Noelle's birthday. This, I'm pretty sure, was Riley's idea. She got Noelle a "present"-- I think it was a Bible put in a puzzle box.  She sang the birthday song to Noelle.  And she came up to me and declared, "It's the best birthday ever!"  Ha!  Apparently, Noelle's celebration hadn't lasted long enough.

Riley has definitely been very into birthdays, lately.  I'm pretty sure that she's been adding items to her birthday list for the last two months.  Every time we're in the Target aisle, Riley clues me in to a dozen or more new toys that she wants for her birthday.  I've started to tell her that she can't have EVERYTHING that she wants, so she needs to be discerning. 

**We interrupt this post for a late breaking report**

Dang it.  Into every playtime, a whine must come.  The girls quickly ended their nice playtime with a meltdown from Riley-girl... a massive meltdown... one that came out of nowhere.  I was actually listening to the "birthday party" when all of a sudden, Riley shrieked and has not yet regained control of herself.  I'm pretty positive it's a sharing issue.  Shocker.  A three- and two-year-old aren't good at sharing.  Huh. 

Riley wanted the shopping cart, which Noelle had been playing with and Riley had been fine with.  Then she only wanted to put her box in it.  Then she decided, no, she wanted the box in the cart, and she wanted the cart. 

They both ended up screaming, crying and shouting "NO!" at each other, so we're now in double time-out.  I've never actually had them both in time-out at the same time before.  They're in the same rooms, in their beds.  Riley's still a wreck.  Noelle's quiet.  It's been a few minutes, so in I go.  Wait here.
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Just went in and asked Riley is she was ready to get control of herself.  She firmly told me she was not.  Okay then, I'll see you later.  Noelle was standing in her crib, happy as a frog in a bog.  Clearly, time-out in the same room as her sister is not going to be an effective punishment for this one.

Oh, parenting, why are you such a beast?