There are days when it can be really hard, especially when you are tired. I am really tired too...I haven't slept through the night in over 5 years (since I found out I was pregnant with dd #1 and was up to pee all night

). It does get better, I promise. My mother was completely opposed to everything I do, and now she has had to eat all the nasty comments when she sees my girls.
Number one nursed until she was 24 months, night nursed until 20 months (we night weaned gently b/c I was pregnant and couldn't take the all night nurse-a-thon anymore). Co-slept until about 2.5. Slept through the night and went to her own room at 3.75. When the full time co-sleeping stopped, we put a mattress in our room and she spent part of the night there, part with us. We moved when she was 3.75 and she moved into her own room in the new house. We talked about it a lot, and she was well prepared and excited. Occasionally she will come in with us, but it is rare. I could not put her down ever as a baby. She napped in my arms until she was 24 months and well on her way to giving up naps-at 28 months we were done with naps. She was so high maintenance and I had horrific PPD; I thought I was going to die. Around a year the PPD lifted, but she was very challenging still.
Number two is still nursing around the clock at 26 months. She does have a long stretch of sleep (5-7 hours) most days, so the night nursing isn't as bad as number one. Still co-sleeping, but she is starting to ask to sleep in Sissy's room, so we are thinking about re-doing the bedroom for Christmas. She was a much more laid back baby but still required much time in arms (although I could put her down to nap).
As your ds grows older and you begin to see the fruit of your AP efforts, all the tired days seem to melt away. They are only young for such a short time. My dds are very independant, confident and eager to learn. I really believe it is b/c of AP.
I am very anti-CIO. I do not want to start a CIO war, so if it works for your family, fine. I still am against it. All babies will sleep in their own time. To tell those who nag at you to do it, there was a Harvard study a few years ago that concluded that CIO causes higher levels of cortisol (stress hormone) in the blood. So CIO babies are more stressed out-logical when you think about crying in the night b/c your needs are not being met. When crying is the only means of communication, and you ignore it in favor of sleep...logical conclusion. Even Ferber, king of CIO, has recanted some of his statements about CIO. If you want to try and teach him to sleep differently, try the
No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. It didn't work for me, but I know several families who were successful with it.
To combat the when are you going to wean comments, tell them that the World Health Organization recommends a minimum of two years breastfeeding. If you don't care about hurting feelings, I would even tell them it is none of their business. My mom would ask me that all the time. She doesn't anymore. I gently told her that that relationship was between me and dd and we would decide when it should be done.
Anti-cosleeping? Tell them that Western Culture is the only one who believes babies should be separated at such a young age. Many cultures sleep with their babies.
My best advice is to find community. Do you go to La Leche League meetings? Most LLL mamas are AP or even super crunchy. Do you have a chapter of API-Attachment Parenting International-near you? If you can't find IRL supporters, try MDC-mothering.com. They even have a finding your tribe section where you can find mamas who live nearby. Surrounding yourself with like minded people will help. They understand.
Try to carve out little blocks of time for yourself. Can your dh take ds and bring him to you only to nurse so that you can get some extra sleep? Can you take a nap with ds? I used to nurse and run out the door to go get a pedicure down the street before they needed to nurse again. Do you have a back carrier? Great way to get some stuff done and still wear your child.
Good luck! Feel free to PM me anytime for support. You are doing a great job mama!