But it was the small moments that truly showed me we were on the right path. Like the first time he smiled without hesitation when a new friend at the park offered to share a toy, or the way he hugged me fiercely at night, whispering, “I love you, Mommy.”

I knew we had a long way to go. Healing wasn’t linear, and there would be setbacks. But each step forward, no matter how small, was a victory. And as I looked at Jesse, sleeping peacefully in our new home, I knew I was doing right by him.