I just read all the answers given. I'm sure you are a caring, positive, terrific mom. By the answers you've been given it sounds like some people believe it's a war to raise children. You will not create more temper fits by giving him a bottle at this age. Besides, there are going to be plenty of fits of temper from a 2 year old. This is the age when the individual really begins to develop in a whole new way and unfortunately you'll have to say no to plenty of things and you'll have to hold your ground, but this is not one of them. As often as you can, emphasize the yes. Conventional wisdom tell mothers to cut their children off the bottle when the mother's ready not the child, what could possibly be wise about that. Have you ever in your whole life been asked when you got off the bottle? No? In the bigger picture this is going to seem very small. Weaning a child can be tricky and it is a crucial time. That's why doing it with care is so important. Wouldn't you be angry if someone were taking away something you needed? Your son has had a delayed reaction to this, which is very common. He's demanding something he needs and is not being heard so he esculates until he gets it. It that so unusual? He needs the bottle, he's simply not ready to let go yet, which is perfectly alright. In a few months eveything will change again as they always do. ~~Sucking is crucial to the development of the human being as it is with every animal, but human beings take much longer to mature, they take longer than any on the whole planet, this is the reason they need to suckle longer. Throughout history most women suckled their babies till they were about 3, some still do. This was the natural response to the developing child. If sucking is taken too soon it can create insecurities. The sucking from a sippy cup is not the same. Sucking develops the teeth, pallette, lips and whole mouth. Each time a baby/toddlers is sucking the neuro-transmitters in the brain are firing and connecting which creates clear thinking. Sucking actually organizes the brain along with certain other activities like rocking, singing and swaying. Women knew this intuitively and many still do, in actuality we all do if we let ourselves. Plus there is scienticfic evidence on this finally. Harvard has studied this and many other things pertaining to intelligence. I only wish it were advertised half as much as everything else is. You may want to check out Joseph Chilton Pearce's website. He talks about the developing child and intelligence. Dr. Sears has some nice books.
My children all quit the bottle around the age of 2, some a little over and some a little under 2. When they were nearing the age of weaning I would begin by pleasantly and calmly telling them that, "soon it would be time to throw away the bottle." This usually lasted for a few weeks. And of course they knew what and where the trash was and that it was taken out regularly never to be seen again. Then I would begin to start letting them do things they'd never done before as little opportunities arose during the day. Not too often just a little. For example putting the bowls on the table for cereal or washing the dishes or something they liked to help with even though it was usually a mess and they still needed lots of help when they "helped". LOL Then I would say something like, "You know why you may do this now?" "Because you are getting to be a big boy/girl." Then a few minutes later I'd say, "you know what big boys do, they throw their bottles away in the trash and then it's gone." This might be relatively instant or it may take a day or weeks. I've seen this work more often within a couple of days. If you look for it, you can see just when the exact moment is best to tell them it's time for them to throw it away. Make sure they know before they throw it away that once it's in the trash there is no retrieving it because all the trash goes "bye-bye, gone." If you try this, be sure to let him throw it away, do not touch the bottle, he has to be the one that lets go of it. And say good-bye to it. No need for fanfare or shouting "good job" or any of that, simply say, bye-bye bottle, you're all gone. "Now how about we have a nice cup of milk and cookies." Or you might want to say something like, "Lets go for a nice long walk and see what we can see." Do some little something you don't usually do often which connects the two of you. This only works when the child is ready but you can help him to be ready. It's a matter of him guiding you, guiding him. When I did this my children never brought the bottle up again and neither did I. I've also done this with several other children.
Whatever you decide to do I'm sure it will right for you and your little one. Sending the very Best to you.