Bek, you have my every sympathy. What you have written is pretty much exactly what we went through with my DD Olivia at the same age.......

I have no real suggestions for you apart from persistence and do everything with love, despite the frustrations. I honestly believe is is simply novelty: they can get out, so they do!

With Olivia, it took around a month (of very vey tedious putting her back to bed) for her to get in, stay in, and drop off without dramas.

We ended up altering the bath/book/bed ritual a little in that we had bath earlier, the read 2 stories sitting on the couch in her room, then tucked into bed for one last story. But she was allowed to sit up and read a few more books to herself with the nighlight on as we exited.

Believe it or not, the thing that worked really, I think, was leaving the door open for her! As soon as we started doing this, she stopped getting out of bed?! NO idea why this worked!

We also contined to use a CD at bedtime, but not on repeat, and I noticed that when the CD finished, around 35 mins later........ is when she seemed ready to snuggle down and actually sleep......

Not sure if any of that helps you? Either way, I really sympathise, I honestly do. (We will be going through this soon with my 2 year old son, Charlie. I'm dreading it, LOL!)

GOOD LUCK!!