Night of the long cries

Something has gone crazily wrong with Emma's sleep.

She used to be a great little sleeper; cymbals clashing next to her head, sonic booms booming, Gloria doing her best Maria Callas impression - nothing had the power to wake her up. Even waking her from daytime naps I used to have to put some loud rock music on, take her covers off and wait 15 minutes before she stirred.

But since last week all that has changed. Now at the first murmur from Gloria, Emma wakes up and scuttles into our bed. This is OK for about 5 minutes; then she snorts and snuffles and kicks like a mule. During this time one of us is calming G down, which takes a good hour in itself - she still hasn't learnt to settle herself back to sleep. It's the subject of much anguish and desperate strategising at Chateau Scho.

When G is asleep, and Emma has dropped off, we carry her back to her bed. She wakes up immediately. We have the following conversation:
E: "Stay here, Mummy!"
me:"No darling, it's night time and I'm going back to bed. Go to sleep."
E: (louder) "STAY MUMMY!"
me: (frightened the Gloria will wake up) "OK, ok! Sssshhhhhh!"
E:"Hold hands."

So I (or R) sit next to her bed on the floor (fiendlishly uncomfortable) holding hands, until she goes to sleep. Just when you think she's off or you attempt to move your dead leg she squeezes tighter: "STAY HERE MUMMY!".

A couple of nights ago we tried to shut the door and ignore her. The result? An hour or more of "M-M-M-MU..(sob) MMY! DA (sob)..DDY!" at 1.30am at the top of her voice, furious banging from the concierge, and yes, Gloria woke up and we had Maria Callas all over again. Between us we have done tears, rage, pleading, punishment, disinterest, capitulation and now...just exhaustion.

So now she just comes into our bed. We sleep badly and live with it. And it goes against all my childrearing principles. (Still better than the wrath of the concierge, though.)