my toddler won't sleep

[fly]

my son is now 2 years, 8 months and his sleeping is worse than ever. He sleeps with me and he nurses, pinches my other breast, kicks and wiggles all night. (He wiggles and thrashes so much, there's no room for dad in bed--so he's exiled to the couch.) this week has been the worst ever. he lies awake kicking and wiggling for 2-3 hours each night, regardless of whether or not he napped during the day. if i refuse to let him nurse, he cries, and if I tell him not to hurt me, he says, "I WANT to pinch!" or "I'm NOT pinching!" After an hour of this last night, we were both sitting up in bed in tears, me about ready to pull my hair out. Dad tried to convince baby to get up and play for a while so I could sleep, but he just screamed and cried until i nursed him. When he spends the night at grandma's, he only wakes up once a night for 30-60 minutes while my mom reads him back to sleep, no crying. This tactic never works at home. I'm going to try sleeping at a friend's house and letting dad deal. Maybe if I'm not there, he'll accept that he can't nurse. But I don't know if this will be a long-term solution. Any advice? Please help!

[Amandzia]

Oh, you poor thing. I can hear how frustrated and stressed you are. My first daughter was a non-sleeper. My twins will be 3 in April and they still wake up to climb into bed with us to snuggle. They are on a mattress on our floor. They recently weaned in the last two months. It was a very slow process. They are sleeping better now that we weaned. The night weaning came first for us because I couldn't stand it any more.
I have heard very good things about the book "No Cry Sleep Solution."
For us, it didn't happen until I was resolved. We spend some wakeful nights when I'd fight it, then give in. When I was resolved, then they stopped asking so persistantly. I'd offer them water from a sports bottle (a special one that was big sister's) and go on and on about how the animals were all asleep and name various animals and people we knew.
I'd wear inpenatrable clothes to bed or they'd help themselves. I'd snuggle and say playfully, even if I didn't feel playful, "no no, it's sleepy time silly, the ponies are asleep, the bunnies are asleep...etc" It took time and patience, a sense of humor and naps durring the day.
I didn't handle it so well with my first child, maybe because I was new at it and more stressed. Maybe it was her personality, or how I was, but it was much harder than with the twins....believe it or not. I'd cry with her all night trying to go to sleep.
Sorry I was so long winded, but I realy feel for you. Check out the book I mentioned and try other things I suggested or otherwise and remember, this too shall pass. Maybe that's what made me less stressed with the twins, from experience I knew that it doesn't last forever. Good luck to you and your family.