My husband used to travel a lot for his job. Since we became parents he has not had to travel as much. However, he has been away from home for the past week.
I have traveled with my toddler daughter Jessie three times. When Jessie is at Grandma and Grandpa’s house she’s too involved in acclimating to notice that Daddy’s missing. It probably helps that she hasn’t seen her dad at my parents’ house and doesn’t associate him with there.
We dropped Daddy off at the airport on Sunday. She was acting up all day preceding the drive. She knew something was happening. We had been talking to her about Daddy’s trip, but that’s not a tangible concept. I let her out of her car seat at the airport so she could say good-bye. She wouldn’t do it; it was all too overwhelming.
She has spent the week with Daddy calling for him. It’s adorable. She stands at the bottom of the stairs behind the gate calling, “Daddy!” When we take our walks she calls for her daddy up and down the street. When we ran errands today she waved and said, “bye-bye Daddy”, from her seat.
She hasn’t cried for Daddy. She’s been naughtier since he’s been gone, though. Maybe Mommy has been just a bit more tired and it’s not the toddler at all.
She talked to Daddy on the phone a few times. She sang a Jessie version of “Happy Birthday,” but not while he was on the phone. It would have been nice for him to hear it on his birthday.
Today I had the pleasure of reminding Jessie that Daddy comes home tomorrow. Her face lit up. We’ve had a good time in Daddy’s absence. We’ve stayed up late, taken a lot of walks, and played with many neighbors. It will be so nice to have Daddy back home.