Sleep baby, Sleep

Lately I have been doing alot of thinking on breastfeeding. See, I still am nursing strong with G being almost 16 months old! I'm certain the other two were completely weaned by the time they were this age. Which is ok. With H I followed the books and did everything on 'schedule'. With J I was a bit more lenient, holding off on baby & solid food a bit longer, but still following 'the rules' of things, so to speak. With G I threw the schedule out the window and nurse on demand, co-sleep, etc. I read this great book by Sheila Kippley called, "Breastfeeding & Natural Child Spacing". That's what got me motivated to try things the more 'natural' way. I mean, God designed my breasts not just to nourish my child, but to comfort. I wanted to be the soul source of comfort for my baby, not anything else (no pacifiers, thumbs, etc). And I'm sure back in the Bible days Eve and other mothers didn't stick something plastic in the baby's mouth to soothe them. Or send them alone in a room to sleep for hours on end. They probably completely nourished that baby, the baby never leaving the mother. So, this is what I tried. Let me tell you, G is such a mamma's boy. We are so close and he is so loving. He is so calm and well-mannered. My other two children were too, though. There is something so special about watching your baby sleep next to you, or to wake up and put his chubby little arms around you, smiling into your face. It is the sweetest thing to wake up to! I really enjoy it. But, at the same time it has been 16 months and I want my bed back. Zach and I have gotten quite used to the little guy in the bed, with us having hardly any space! We have managed, but I know Zach is more than ready for G to be in his own bed. And the stinker will NOT sleep in a crib! He will play in it when I shower but that's about it. And G cannot fall asleep without 'mama' in his mouth. So, as I sit and type on the computer late at night oftentimes he is attached to me falling asleep. Sometimes I don't mind but there are times when I would love a free hand! Some people tell me I need to wean him, and there are times I want to, but at other times I don't want to. And honestly I don't even know how to! It is so different from nursing the other two! Plus he still nurses at night (after all he is right next to us in bed). He nurses so often I still haven't gotten the good ol' cycle, Aunt Flo back yet. In ways I am very pleased with this nursing on demand thing, but in other ways I often question if I will do it the same way again. I think it will be weird when he is 18 months old and I'm not pregnant (because I was when the other two were that age). And maybe I seem crazy, but I don't want a huge gap between him and the next baby... Anyway, just some thoughts I've been having. I guess I just need to rest in the fact that this is one season in life that is really short. And I need to enjoy it. God has blessed me with the joy of mothering my baby and I need to bask in that joy. Before I know it he will be 5, 10 or 20!!!