what happened?

Not sure what is up with our littliest one... sleep routine has DRASTICALLY changed.  Will not (I repeat), will not just go to bed after reading her books with Daddy.  Case in point, tonight she was up for 2 hours and 15 minutes screaming & crying in her room after the initial goodnight kisses.  NO... we didn't let her cry for that long.  We went in to her room probably 8 different times - sometimes to just pick up her NUK that she has thrown on the floor; other times to tell her to lay down and go to sleep; and still other times to pick her up and rock her to sleep (which she did almost instantly... until you laid her down).  Just wondering if she needs to count some sheep or something in order to fall asleep?  Afraid of something?

Poor Thomas is all we kept thinking - I hope he was able to fall asleep in the first hour despite all the noise.

Final straw - I was one last decision from getting a pillow and blanket and laying down on her floor and pretending to go to sleep (although I'm sure I would have easily passed out).  Thinking she would see me there and sleeping, she might lay down and pass out herself.  HOWEVER, I decided instead to pull out her nightlight so that it was pitch black in her room.  I scooped her up, rocked her laying down in my arms for about 10 minutes until I heard some good snoring (remember, I could no longer see her because of the complete darkness), then laid her down.  She didn't move.  Finally.  Asleep.

Now I'm exhausted and am going to go crawl into bed.  Finally.  Going to sleep.
Why can't she just see the value in going to bed.  It feels so good.