Seeking Sleep Solidarity

Will someone please tell me that the screaming will eventually end?

The girls will be 2 next weekend. I work part time and leave them either with Daddy for one day and a babysitter and grandma on the other.

Last weekend H and I went away for 48 hours. That is how long we were gone. They stayed at home with grandma and reportedly did not ask one time where H and I were. They took naps for grandma and went to sleep no problem. Saturday morning, Z woke up early and G-ma let her come downstairs so that she wouldn’t wake C, but otherwise, routines were maintained.

So why then, did the last four nights of bedtime involve screaming and crying and hyperventilating and gagging, culminating last night in me yelling and drugging them with benadryl at midnight? C would not get into the crib without screaming. They would both cry for about 20 min and then stop, take a presumed nap (I don’t know what they were doing, no video monitor, but they were quiet) only to start up with the hysterics in another 20min. Seriously, this went on in a vicious cycle until 12am.

Mistakes I may have made:
1. We left while they were taking a nap. Poor planning, I know, please don’t lecture me on the importance of saying goodbye. Just tell me they will get over it before college applications come due.
2. H would go back upstairs after they started screaming again. They would sit on his lap, demand songs and calm down until he mentioned going back in the crib. Cue screaming.
3. They watched the Little Mermaid on the advice of G-ma (“It has sea creatures. They love sea creatures”) and are clearly traumatized by King Triton yelling at Ariel and breaking her statue (and yes, they have told me repeatedly that “ariel daddy breaked the spatue! That not nice!”) (also, can you tell that no one ever yells at them. Seriously, this is the part of the movie they have issue with. Not the freakish octopus lady. We love her.)
3. I have one of those twilight turtles that only stay lit for 45 minutes while they are supposedly falling asleep. This has never been a problem before as they are always asleep way before that, but the last few nights they’ve been begging to turn the stars back on.

I am mostly looking for support here and maybe a “been there, done that” Anyone who lectures me on the above mistakes will be hunted down. I am resourceful. And vengeful. Don’t make me feel any worse. Which could possibly be mistake #4 in that my children are horribly spoiled and it’s entirely my (well, and g-ma’s) fault. I think they are honestly afraid and possibly having nightmares, but I’m pretty sure there’s nothing I can do about it other than changing the subject when the freaking little mermaid comes up, and trying to replace it with elmo or curious george or blue clues or something else that has no angst or yelling.

And I’m really freakin’ tired. So if you have no advice, please send caffeine. And also, I may never go away again. So not worth it. Alas, I have a wedding in San Diego in October. May God have mercy on my soul.