There are sites out there that are more supportive for the families of truck drivers. This forum is more about information than support.
www.atruckerswife.com
http://www.marriedtoatrucker.com/ If you go there, don't tell them that I sent you, I don't think you would get a warm welcome
http://www.loads.org/
http://www.angelsoftruckers.com/
Now some helpful advice. For the love of all that is holy, get cellphones that you can use to call each other without using all your minutes. Having said that, don't call him constantly, since a truck driver on the phone isn't any less distracted than a four wheeler (such as myself) on the phone while driving. Get a Blue Parrot bluetooth headset for him so he won't have to use his hands to talk, they don't pick up a lot of background noise.
On the day he leaves each month/week/whatever, plan a treat for yourself and your daughter. Going to the zoo, a park, getting a pizza, whatever. That will give the two of you something positive to look forward to, and will help your daughter to learn that even though Daddy is leaving, not everything about it is bad.
Do NOT refuse invitations, limit your activities or put your life on hold while he's gone. Continue to have a social life. It may be awkward at first, but you can get used to it. If you try and limit your fun time to when he's home, you'll never have any fun. When you can afford it again, hop on a plane and go visit your mother, or your best friend from high school.
It is summer. Trucks are rolling. In winter they won't be so much once Christmas hits. Bank what money you get now, so you'll have it during the leaner months. Yes, he'll still get a paycheck, but he will run into weather delays at the very least, so he won't be able to drive as many miles per day.
At his first hometime, go to your bank and open up another checking account with a savings account, and link it to your current account. Get him a debit card, and each week or month deposit "his" money into it. That way he can buy what he needs without possibly spending money that you've already earmarked for something like the electric bill.
The first month of trucking can be very expensive. You'll need to get him some things that may seem frivolous, but are very important.
A cooler that plugs into a cigarette lighter. It keeps things 40 degrees below the ambient air temperature. He can't be dealing with ice.
A Sirius or XM radio receiver, which also requires a monthly subscription. My non-scientific survey results show that most drivers either want what their trainers had, because they're used to it and and have some favorite programs, or they want the system their trainer didn't have because they loathed one or a few programs their trainer insisted on listening to.
A lunchbox cooker. This is another item that plugs into a cigarette lighter. Although there are some people out there who cook in them, I consider it more of a warmer. It can be used for canned soups and warming up leftovers. Get some aluminum loaf pans to line it when he uses it since cleaning the thing is a pain.
A TV/DVD combo. This is something that you may want to wait until he gets his own truck, so you can get the biggest one that will fit in the hole that the truck manufacturer provides for it, but you may want to get it as soon as you find one on sale. Start stocking up on DVDs as well. While many trucks come with television antennas, they're not the most uber ones out there, and he'll find himself in areas where he won't have anything close to good reception.
Get a plastic box with a lid that closes, and make it his "junk drawer". Shoelaces, stamps, a small address book with every phone number he would ever need, lighters, matches, a solar blanket, extra batteries for his flashlight and any handheld electronics, Band Aids that someone would actually want to use (yeah he needs a first aid kit but they always have icky bandages), Neosporin, Advil (or pain reliever of your choice), and whatever else you think may be useful.
Wet wipes. Some people use baby wipes, but I prefer the wet wipes that you can find in in the picnic sections of most stores, as they're alcohol based rather than lanolin. They won't leave him feeling greasy.
Of course he'll need other stuff, but you'll think of that. Or others here will suggest them. Or I'll come back after work and add some.
Now some supportive stuff. This can be fun! You may find that you talk more now than you did when he was home. You won't be sitting on the couch trying to watch television, or dealing with your daughter. You'll both be paying attention to each other, rather than the world around you. I'm talking about after your daughter is in bed and he's parked for the night. Having said this, his ability to talk while he's training might be limited, be aware of that.
The passion grows. Really, it does. You have to keep in mind my favorite maxim, "Quality, not quantity". When sex isn't available on a daily basis, trust me, you appreciate it more when it happens. Although another non-scientific study (talking to other wives) has shown that one should learn not to expect much from your husband on his first night home other than snoring. Some responders reported loud annoying snoring.
You control the television remote. You can spend weeks at a time without seeing a single Sylvester Stallone movie, or watching a single inning of baseball if you want.
Every side of the bed is your side. This is one of those "The glass is half full" situations. Some people moan that the bed is so empty. I prefer to think of it as having more pillows.
Good luck, and keep your chin up.
