semi-single parenting - 4 months, 2 weeks, 2 days

My husband is traveling for work, again. It's sporadic, no real rhythm to when he travels or for how long. He was gone for 4 days a few weeks ago, and this time it's 9 days. We're now on day 6 and I think 4 days is about my limit. Cole missed his Daddy and was fussier for the first couple of days, then we got into our own routine and he's ok, but I miss Dan. Nothing has really changed - I do the laundry, the cooking, the cleaning, and I get up through the night. But I miss having another person here, I miss the noises, and just knowing that if I really needed a hand, he'd be there. Dan helps - he can play with Cole while I'm cooking and can help fold laundry once Cole's asleep. He's there to talk to and to share the joys of parenting Cole.

Unfortunately tonight, Cole's asleep, I'm tired, laundry's folded, and I'm just waiting for Dan to call. He usually calls around 9 when he gets out of work, and we can talk for a bit about our days. Tonight, he called only to say that he was going on a hike and would call when he got back down. "It's a short hike." Well, 2 hours and 20 minutes later, I'm still up waiting. I know the time difference plays in, it's only 8:20 there. But it's 8:20, and dark, and he's in another country. It's 11:20 here, and I'm exhausted and know that I'm likely going to be up again in an hour or two to feed Cole.

I hate this feeling, but I wonder when he's traveling like this if he isn't happy to get away from our routine sometimes, and I feel very unappreciated and that he's being quite inconsiderate. I know it doesn't happen often, he'll travel a whole bunch for a month or so out of the year. It still hurts.