Sweetie DS often takes AGES to fall asleep too, I'm thinking a lot of it may be this age??!! He doesn't usually cry, though will often want something, sippy cup his truck etc....I just think sometimes they have a lot to process before they can go to sleep even when they are tired. Having said that when he was off his meds he WOULDN"T settle for HOURS....it was pretty bad.
Hugs and hope your work event goes ok, don't worry about your DH lovely, he can handle it for one night and so can O even if he doesn't much like it!!
xx