Bedtime Blues

Charlie has always been a good sleeper. He always took great naps and was sleeping through the night by 3 months. Everyone would always comment how lucky I was to have such a great sleeper. We would all laugh at how early he went to bed. From the time he was sleeping through the night until he was 2, he went to bed at 7:00! In fact if you tried to keep him awake, it wasn't a pretty sight! He would lay down in his bed, we would read a book, say our prayers, and sing our songs, say good night and that was all she (he) wrote!
Well, something happened to my sweet sleeper about 6 months ago. Charlie decided that he does not require sleep anymore. He decided that he does not like his room or his bed, he decided that he does not like naps, and he has decided that he does not need a bedtime!I am not sure when or why this happened, but it has. Lately Charlie does not seem to have an off switch either. Often, when he is tired, he just reverberates faster, like an overwound toy, until he crashes.Then he wakes up in the night, cries for me, tells me he is "beary" scared and begs to sleep with us. And unfortunately I have given in a time or two at 3 in the morning!
Everyone has offered suggestions and advice and their input....everything from trying a nightlight, warm milk, a rewards poster, a countdown timer, lots and lots of great ideas...
I am determined to get him out of this funk and back into a good routine. If not for him, for my own sanity!