Naptime is My Nemesis

So every since Peanut was born, she has never been a napper. Or should I say an independent napper. Oh, she took naps alright. Only when she was a baby she was firmly attached to my boob. Then as she got older she fell asleep in her infant car seat and I could bring her into stores or back into the house with no problem. She never, I mean never, took a nap in her crib or pack and play. I tried so many times to get her to sleep in her crib. I would let her cry it out, sometimes for hours on end. She would take a small nap here or there, but never the hour or more that I desperately needed.
Now we are in the beginnings of the terrible twos and the nap problem is rearing its ugly head again. The problem is now we have moved her into a big-girl bed in preparation for new baby's arrival. Nap time now involves me putting her in her bed, waiting for her to fall asleep, and then trying like a CIA operative to stealthily sneak out of her room, praying that I do not step on a creak on the floor. But, as most often happens when you live in a 100+ year old house with all wood floors, the floor creaks and Peanut wakes up. And then I am in for it. See Peanut will sleep, only as long as I am lying on the floor next to her, holding her hand the entire time. Yeah, I'm not going to be doing that. Seeing as there are a million and one things that need to get done around the house, including eating a meal without having to share it or using the bathroom with out the door open to name a few. And on top of that, I am seven months pregnant and would like to occasionally take a nap that doesn't involve being curled up on the floor of my daughter's room like a dog. So most days recently involve the biggest temper tantrum in the world complete with head banging on the floor and her door which inevitably leads to her passing out in a heap of tears in front of her door and me ready to pull my hair out. I spoke with the pediatrician about the head banging and she said it was perfectly normal and the only way to stop it was to ignore it. Yeah, not my daughter. She will bang her head until it is black and blue to get her way. So for now I am at a loss. I am trying to be more patient and understanding, but all I really want is a cocktail. I am praying for the day that the nap thing will one day click. For now, in the battle of wills, Peanut is winning.