Rolling with it...
Finn's had an interesting week. I think his two front teeth are about to make their big entrance, and it's really thrown little Finno for a loop. I also think he's got a lot going on mentally and physically as he's sitting up all the time, and his dexterity keeps improving. There's so much to learn how to do! (And it is with much glee that I tell you he seems to be favoring his left hand!)
Because of all this new and sometimes painful stuff, he's been uncharacteristically fussy during the day. Nothing keeps him satisfied for long, and as we switch him from one location to the next, or try to distract him with toys, he squirms and cries and makes really strange expressions with his mouth. Although he's been sleeping pretty well at night (thank goodness!!) his naps this week have been either very short or nonexistent, which does not help with his attitude. An overtired, teething Finn is not much fun to be around.
I think the good news here is that John and I are really relaxing into being parents, and we're feeling a lot more competent and pragmatic when Finn is inconsolable, uncomfortable, or just won't sleep. I guess we've hit the point of realizing that stuff is going to happen, you can't plan for it, and you can't always make it better or know how it'll turn out, so you just do the best you can and try to keep your little guy cooled out (if possible). The phrase "this too shall pass" keeps popping up in my head--made very real by experiences with Finn that while unpleasant or unpredictable, do actually end at some point.
6 month check-up on Tuesday! We'll report Finn's stats. Any guesses on weight? (I'm saying 19lbs. Dude is HEAVY!)
We've been giving him small portions of rice cereal in the evening to see if a) he'll eat it, b) he likes it, and c) it will help him sleep longer. The results on all three counts are positive. He literally lunges at the spoon when he sees it coming, and gobbled down the entire bowl of cereal last night (which was 1 tablespoon of cereal to a few tablespoons of milk, proferred in a zillion teeny-tiny spoonfuls). I figured he was ready to start test-driving food when he was constantly making chewing motions and observing us carefully as we'd eat and drink. 
Our Finn has been demonstrating some Olympic-style talents today. We're having a tough time determining which particular feat is most deserving of a gold medal, so we're taking a survey. Let us know which act is the biggest accomplishment, then we'll dial up the officials and request a medal!
While Monday was mostly a downer, Tuesday was a mix of ups and downs. We got our baggage and cleaned ourselves up. We had two scheduled visits with most of John's mom's relatives in Chicago--all of her sisters and many of their children and grandchildren. We had a great time visiting with folks we hadn't seen since our wedding, and introducing them to Finn. In between outings, we tried to get our sleep-deprived boy down for an afternoon nap, but it ended up just being two hours of crying. 
After our second family visit, we returned once again to the hotel. Little did we know that naptime was only a taste of what was to come, and what we later dubbed "The Battle of La Quinta." Suffice it to say that with only a 1-hour morning nap under his belt, Finn was completely overtired and completely overstimulated. We put Finn down to bed following our usual routine. He slept for 30 minutes then spent the next three hours crying and screaming his brains out. Nothing would calm him down, and we were all crammed into our hotel room, each trying to gut it out in our own way. Finally Finn wore himself out and slept for 10 hours straight. 
Thursday brought many of the Liggett relatives out from Wisconsin and other parts of Illinois, including my aunt, uncle, two cousins, and a few of cousin Brad's kids. It was great to see them all, and Finn got a beautiful handmade quilt from his aunt. Thursday also brought many Nack relatives as well! John's cousin Alicia, her husband Fito, and their adorable son Alejandro flew in from Texas and pitstopped in Galena on their way to Iowa for a funeral. The "lawyer Nacks" also came by--Joe, then Tommy and his wife Sarah, and their son Gus (3 months older than Finn). 