Transitioning From Crib to Bed

My little girl is growing up so fast!  She wants to do everything herself and now she has decided that she no longer wants to sleep in her crib.

The transition happened so fast, I barley knew what was going on.

It all started about three weeks ago.  I put her to sleep in her crib like usual but about two hours later she woke up crying that she wanted out of her crib.  I was going to snuggle with her for a few minutes on the twin bed in her room so I set her on the bed and went to get her baby and blankie from her crib.  By the time I grabbed them and turned back around to the bed, she was snoring away. 

I tucked her in, pulled up the bed rail (thank goodness I bought one a month ago, just in case) and went back to the living room.  My husband commented on how quickly she fell back asleep and was shocked when I told him that she was on the bed.  He asked me 20 questions on if she was safe and how did the bed rail work.  After the quiz, he seemed assured that she would be alright to sleep on the bed alone.

That night I hardly slept at all, I was up and down every half hour to check and make sure she was still on the bed and sleeping.  She was of course snoring away, happy as a clam. 

First thing the next morning, I set up the video monitor so that I could check on her all I want with out leaving my bed. 

I am torn as to if I should be happy that she is growing up or sad that she is not my baby anymore.  It is bitter sweet and I love seeing her grow and change everyday.

The problem is that it takes FOREVER to get her to go to sleep.  I have to lay on her bed with her for almost an hour every night, until she falls asleep, to get her to stay on the bed.  I have tried sitting on the floor but she just sits up so she can see me and talk to me.  I have tried telling her to stay on the bed and leaving the room, but within minutes (or seconds) she is pitter pattering down the hall way to come find me.

Nap time is much easier, it usually only takes 10-15 minutes to get her to sleep but these hour plus nights are getting to be a bit much (plus, I have a tendency to fall asleep while trying to get her to sleep).

Do any of you mom's who have been through the crib to bed transition have tips on how to get my Wiggle to stay in bed and go to sleep with out me having to stay with her the entire time?