Okay.. let's change the game on her.
Definately continue onto the 4 hour EASY cycle. It sounds like she needs a longer awake time, if she is waking up happy and alert. So, aim for her awake time to be 2 hours in length (if it's not there yet, then you will need to extend it slowly by 15 min. increments over 2 days)
Make sure she is falling asleep independently in her crib, so make sure you aren't winding her down too long, and she is going into her bed awake but drowsy.
Now, if you are finding the wake to sleep isn't working for her, and is actually interfering, then I don't think you should do it any longer. Instead, I would just hold back and wait. If you hear her over the monitor at the 45 min. mark, then hold back. If she is hysterically crying, then definately, support her (patting her back, pu.pd). If not, then just hold back and give her a chance to settle on her own.
Hope this helps!