Sleeping and Weaning

This will fall under the category of parenting entries. I don't have categories set up because that would just be too much organization for me. A while back I had put up an entry about how N. was addicted to breastfeeding and was still sleeping with us. Well, we have made some progress in both of those arenas. I eliminated one of her five feedings a while ago, and elimated another one a couple weeks ago, so now we are on an early morning, before nap and before bed nursing routine. It's working pretty well for us, and I'm not sure when I will drop that middle feeding. I now only have to pump once at work during lunch, so I don't feel the need to rush out the last three feedings. M. wants me to be done nursing, though, and I'm not really sure why. N. is happy and I am happy to continue, so I don't know what the big rush is. Besides, it appears to be keeping other annoying monthly visitors away, and I'm more than happy for that to continue. What's the rush?? Anyone out there continue nursing well into the first year?
The sleep thing is just plain weird. One night, about 2 weeks ago, N. fell into a deep sleep after nursing and I put her in her crib and she slept most of the night. So, we just kept doing it. The fourth night, she ended up crying herself to sleep, but it only took about 10 minutes. Ever since, I try to put her down asleep, but she always wakes up, cries for a couple minutes and then goes to sleep. Which is fine, I guess, but she also wakes up several times throughout the night crying. I guess I would just like to find the secret to a baby who likes to sleep in their own bed. I would like to not have to feel badly that my precious baby is unhappy and crying in her bed. It just makes me sad. Does she know I'm right down the hall? Is she scared? Does she know where she is, etc? So, I guess you can say that in a way, we're tackling the sleep issue, but just not very happily...