Where's the Magic? How did you get your child to sleep through the night?

Usually I try to write about what is working for us, but now I need to know what worked for you!

Alright. Z turned one on St. Patty's Day! I have been anxiously awaiting him to start magically sleeping through the night.  Okay, I will even settle for him waking up once in the night.  But my wand must not be working.  I'm not sure that it ever worked. My daughter was 15 months old before she slept through the night.
Here's what I'm doing:
I lay Z down for bed about 8:30 (awake) with a pacifier and Spot (his lovey).  He falls asleep on his own.  We have a Cloud B Sleep Giraffe for white noise.

He usually wakes up again around 12ish, 2:00, and 4:30.  Then he's up for good at 6:30.  Did I mention that he is not a newborn?  I have tried to lay him back down at these times, and sometimes after long bouts of crying he will fall asleep.  But he will wake up 30 minutes later still hungry.  So usually when he wakes up, I will nurse him.  He will typically go right back to sleep.  I know it could be worse...he could be staying awake for an hour or more (but I'm so tired I kinda feel like complaining).

I was hopeful that I would get some tips or tricks from the pediatrician when I took Z for his 12 month checkup yesterday.  I asked the question and braced myself for some criticism.  I was ready to hear that I needed to be tougher, that I should try to cut back on the night-time nursing session, or that I just needed to be consistent.  I sat dumbfounded when the doctor told me, "Well, I think he just needs the calories.  Try to sneak-feed him before you go to bed and then feed him when he wakes up in the night."  What?!  He is one and a good-sized boy!  It makes sense though.  She said it isn't like he is nursing at night only to bulk up and be a chubby baby, so he must need the nutrition.  She also said that he probably needs more mommy-time and during the night is when he can have my undivided attention.

It is getting to the point that all the caffeine and concealer in the world can't hide how tired I really am!  Seriously, I need your tips!  Did you have trouble getting your precious little one to sleep through the night?  What did you finally do?