"Rough with playmates, hitting and pushing"

Ugh. This was on Esther's note from daycare yesterday. "Playing rough today, hitting and pushing playmates." Nothing quite makes me feel like I should get the Bad Mom Award like a note sent home from school.

Even worse, the hitting isn't limited to school. She hits me, Gram, and even her little cousin, whom she adores. It doesn't seem to happen when she's mad, or otherwise provoked.  Really just because she's in the proximity of your face.

The other day I made her leave the playground because she hit her cousin, and, when I had removed her from the vicinity of her cousin, me. The screaming of her cousin's name and "Graaaaam!!" (who was also there) lasted for quite a good chunk of the duration of the saddest stroller ride ever. When the wailing stopped, I knelt down in front of the stroller and reiterated, "we don't hit." "Hitting hurts."

Here at home, I am introducing the time-out concept. I'm not sure I have the right spot picked out because she just hops down and follows me into the other room like, "Dude, why did you put me in that chair?"

Any wisdom on toddlers who hit? Or toddler discipline in general?