Sleeping troubles

We are going through a new phase right now with the toddler, she absolutely refuses to sleep by herself. She has never slept with us before, always been COMPLETELY fine alone in her bed.....until about a week ago.

For both naps and bedtime she wants someone to stay in the room with her until she falls asleep. Completely asleep, if you try and sneak out when you think she's sleeping the entire cycle starts over. She has also now started waking in the night, screaming bloody murder and wants someone to sit with her. And not just for 5 minutes, like an hour! We have tried just letting her scream and not 'cater' to it......well, she got out of the crib (yes, it's on the lowest setting) numerous times.

Her naps are worse. She wakes after about 30min and will not go back down, so has been surviving off short naps (which makes her a disaster during the day.....and me!). Today, I was so tired so I just put her in the pack n play in our room, and I napped too with her. We both slept for 1.5hrs!  The poor house though looks like a BOMB went off since I have been too exhausted to clean and when she's awake she has been such a crab with the irregular sleep schedule. 

So now we search for options. I've looked online a bit and gotten a few ideas. I just have no idea what brought this on or how long a phase like this lasts! But there is noooooo way we can handle it much longer. It is so hard to know what to do; is this just a phase she will get through and just needs us to help her through it?  Or is this a weird new thing that needs to be corrected? 

I think we are going to first try and rig the crib so she can't get out, that way no matter what we at least know she's safe. I've heard of people taking out the bottom and just putting the mattress in the floor or elevated on boards. I think we have some long tough nights coming our way though.  For her, I really think the option is going to be tough love and letting her cry.  When I have tried to go in and out and comfort her she immediately lies down and is quiet the second I walk in the room, and then pops right back up when you walk out.  I really hope and pray this is something that she gets over fast because I am about at my wits end with it all.  I am not getting enough sleep, neither is she, and I am getting ZERO break from her.  It isn't exactly fostering a great mother/daughter relationship.....we are both grouchy during the day and I am so upset when she wakes up during the night I can barely see straight.  Poor kid and poor mama :(

Pray for us as we try and figure out this weird thing she is going through!! 

 This picture was post nap today for both of us, I do love when she wants to cuddle with me after naps :)