C.K.
Dearest Joni,
I love nursing my 28-months-old son, and there is no end in sight! He constantly asks for it at night (I nurse him to sleep and sometimes at naptime between 2 and 4 pm). We are also continuing to co-sleep, and when I am gone in the morning on a weekend, his daddy will sleep next to him.
I recommend attending a free La Leche League meeting in your area. They have a 4-part program they rerun each month, and one of the sessions is on Weaning, with a wealth of information, plus all the moms there ready to share advice. ###-###-####
Here is the contact info for San Diego County:
http://www.lllusa.org/web/SanDiegoCA.html
If you take it slowly, it will hurt both of you a lot less. I can see how the end of nursing is also an emotional issue with closeness and bonding, and personally, neither my 28-months-old nor I are ready to give it up. Are you sure you need to stop now, at this particular time, just because this second birthday is looming, which is really an arbitrary point in time, as occasional nursing can go easily beyond three years of life, and really helps when comfort is needed, when they get hurt, in the cold season, while traveling away from home etc.??
I wish you the very best for your precious children, whatever decision you make for your family.
Loving more naturally,
C.