It has been three months already

I didn't realise that I hadn't posted in three months. During these three months, there was one big change that transpired both for V and me. In the summer he said to me, I will sleep by myself when I get to third grade. Come August, he was telling me, I want to sleep on my own. Now, my mother was visiting and being a three bedroom house, she was in V's room as she always does; so I explained to him how he couldn't sleep there as it would be disturbing both to him and to his grandmother. So he said to me, he was ok if I kept a mattress down in my room. So I got the mattress organized along with a fan (he has to have the room really cold in order to sleep soundly but not so cold that he will shiver). So, the first night, he woke up really early in the morning but continued to sleep in his bed. It took about two nights before he settled in completely.
About six weeks ago, my mother left. V had decided that when she leaves, he wanted to sleep by himself in his room. This took a great deal of independence and courage on his part as well as to let go on my part as I used to be paranoid about the nights. It meant that I would have to let him be no matter what. Well, when he transitioned to his room, it again took a couple of nights before he settled in. After those two nights, he started sleeping in really well. I figured out the right angle of the fan, the bed, the stuffed toys, all the factors that might impact the quality of his sleep; he has been extremely excited about being on his own, has been spending time alone in his room; in short doing what most kids would have done independently years earlier.
I imagine I am sleeping better too as a result as I don't awaken at his every movement or sound. I contemplated buying a monitor to check on his sounds through the night and decided that I had to let go - he didn't really need it and it might actually create a problem where none exists.
Last night, with the long Thanksgiving break and R spending the night at her friend's house, while reading aloud to V before bed, he asked if just this one night he could sleep with me and my husband. I was impressed that he had never asked to do so in three months and I said that was fine. He is ready to go back to his room today after that one night's break just to reassure himself that his mother is around and will be there for him. That is normally my good night message to him - good night, sleep tight, don't let the bugs bite; I love you; relax because mama is going to be there for you, no matter what - she is not going anywhere.