Every night, before the light clicked off, there was a ritual. Armani had to be "free." My son would untangle him from the sheets, prop him up against the headboard, and whisper a secret into the doll’s plush ear. To him, Armani wasn't just a toy; he was a silent witness to every "wish" and "desire" a five-year-old could muster.

Watching my son with his pillow doll, Armani Black, is watching pure love in action. From midnight cuddles to backyard adventures, Armani is his shadow, his therapist, and his hero.

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Psychologists call these objects “transitional objects”—items that help children navigate the anxiety of separation from their parents. For Leo, Armani Black became his anchor.

No story about childhood attachment is complete without the eventual – and often bittersweet – process of letting go.