Oh, A. -- been there, done that. Third child nursed until age 4 (even in the night) because I was a spineless wimp about not forcing the prescribed crying & separation. Our firstborn nursed two years and my husband insisted we take the advice popular then: make them cry it out. Only two hours the first night, then one, then half an hour, and by night four, you're home free. Ha! To this day I am traumatized by my husband holding the door shut with one hand and holding me back with the other while our toddler sobbed for mommy. When Child #2 came, she nursed round the clock, in our bed, in the night... and then, sadly, I had to wean her at gunpoint (so to speak) when #3 surprised us. I was five months along when we finally introduced #2 to a pacifier and got her out of our bed. It was not a pleasant transition, but at least not as traumatic as #1. Then, #3 nursed until age 4, which sounds nightmarish, but she was so stubborn about not giving it up. Finally, she sobbed one night that the milk was all gone and had no choice but to quit. She stayed in our bed until age 6. After all this, we gave up our dream of four or more kids; three had been more exhausting than I imagined.
Pope John Paul advocated "ecological breastfeeding" and "attachment style parenting" and natural family planning, but having tried it all (instinctively), I ended it all with a tubal ligation. Now I tell new moms, "go ahead, use the pacifier" -- I was a human pacifier, and I will attest that "attachment" parenting only works if you live in some third world country or tribe, not in America with a busy schedule.
You can try the "cry it out" thing, A., or you can see what today's experts say about getting a kid to sleep in his own bed (or on a toddler bed next to yours). I became irritable and not a very nice mother after all those years of sleep deprivation. If you have family and friends who can give you a break from mommying, take them up on it. I had no one, and my toddlers wouldn't tolerate babysitters. Oh, they are all very independent today -- very confident, cheerful, apparently well adjusted kids.
But I'm still slightly deranged.
Please let me know how this works out, A..