Daddy, we miss you.

Allen left on Saturday for Paris. This is the first time Allen has been on an extended trip since Owen was almost four months old, and while I can't be certain that Owen is more upset than last time (he cried a lot back then so it's hard to determine how much was for Allen), he's certainly better equipped to express his displeasure at his father's absence this time around. He screamed "Daddy sit!" when we dropped Allen off at the metro station, pointing towards the front seat and crying inconsolably. He was so convincing that Allen briefly did sit, although we decided this was just prolonging the inevitable and so he eventually, while tearing up a bit himself, said goodbye. Owen has called for Daddy to tuck him in each night and Allen's picture has joined us at the dinner table lest we break bread without him. While we've managed to talk several times and Allen has left voice messages for us, it's still shaping up to be a long and lonely week.

Fortunately, Allen gets back Thursday afternoon and should be able to put Owen to sleep that night at which point everything will be right again with the world. Until Allen leaves for his canoe trip in three weeks...