A month of more ago, I joined the posters on dadbloggers.com and posted the following today.

This week I attended a weeklong conference in San Diego far from my 15 month old daughter. This is the first time I’ve been away from her more than a
day or so since she was about 7 weeks old and really didn’t know me from the
waiter at the local TGI Friday’s. I enjoy going on these various trips from
time to time with students or colleagues to various conferences, workshops, or educational
vacation trips far away, but part way through this trip I began to miss her.

Even though I can handle being away from her, it turns out
that she can’t handle being away from me. Earlier in the year I posted about
her ear infections and subsequent tubes (that turned out to be uneventful), but
part way through this week I think she realized something was wrong. Something
was missing. She just didn’t know what it was. I dress her, I change her
diapers, I drive her back and forth to day care each day, and suddenly I was
not there.

I feel badly for my wife, since Claire decided not to sleep Wednesday
and Thursday night –at all. Donna spent much of the last two evenings with
vampire hours, as Claire screamed, toddled up and down the hallway in the
house, and cried with shut eyes. We have a spare bed in her nursery where my
wife tried to hold Claire, cuddle Claire, and sleep, but that didn’t work very
well, either.

Now I head home today to see my wonderful women, and, if
need be, walk the hallowed halls all night long, tonight.