My (36f) husband (36m) really messed up. How can he make it up long distance?

Little background here. Me and my hubs met a few years ago, known each other since middle school, have a blended family with my Bio Daughter (7f) his Bio daughter (6f) and our son (1m). Generally very happy fam, love him to bits and pieces.

We are trying to work towards him quitting his job working moanly away (about 70% of the time he is gone) to stay here and me be the breadwinner. The bio mom of my step daughter is kinda sketch too so he wants to be more present.

Currently we are struggling financially, but I did have to take time off mat leave, and I earn good money now that I'm back. It'll just take some time. He hates being in any kind of debt.

So his job offered him to stay 8 weeks away instead of the normal 3, and he jumped at the chance. Leaving me, my daughter, our son, and sometimes his daughter all together, while I work full time. It is exhausting and I'm already struggling to get back to work after taking time off.

Even if he checked on first to come up with a plan and check it was ok I would have been much more agreeable, but I felt kind of like an after thought.

He has agreed he messed this one up and it was an impulse decision. Now he is committed to it though and I will deal.

I have a good therapist, good community in friends, and can figure it out. But I'm capped out. I don't want to figure it all out. My job is very mentally taxing and works with high risk kids all day. And our son is in a 'let's climb everything and empty everything off of shelves and try to barrel roll when you try to change my diaper' stage.

I need more appreciation and connection from him even though he is away. So my question is, what can he do to show that when he is away working 12 hour days every day? This will obvs be hard on him too. I don't like flowers, or that would have been nice. I just want to know what are some long distance things people to do make the other person feel special and to show gratitude. Thanks so much reddit.