Riley, you stole our hearts. There's nothing quite like meeting the Gerber baby in your office to brighten up a dreary January day. So we were thrilled when we got to hang out with the 2017 winner of the photo search (plus, he only spit up once).
The winner was officially announced today at 9 a.m. through an exclusive for People. After getting over 110,000 entries, Gerber chose 7-month-old Riley for his “expressions and visual appeal, as well as how well he’d represent the brand.” Translation: Just look at that smile.
His parents, Kristen and Devin Shines, couldn't be more pleased. The family came from Columbus, OH, for the big unveiling and couldn't tell anybody until this morning's official announcement. But when they did... "Our phones were blowing up," Kristen tells us.
Riley is the lucky winner not only of the Gerber Baby title, but of a $50,000 cash prize, $1,500 in Gerber Childrenswear, and the chance to star in a 2017 Gerber ad. Riley’s year will also be documented on the brand's social media platforms.
Kristen and Devin say they'll most likely contribute the $50,000 to Riley's college fund — but they're flexible in case their son has other plans once he grows up. Devin is a former player for the Dodgers and they're a huge baseball family, so there are hopes Riley will be playing "as soon as he's walking."
"For all I know, he might get drafted right out of high school!" Devin adds.
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When he found out about Riley's win, "I was happy... I was surprised and shocked," says Devin, who admits that when Kristen first entered Riley in the contest, he was a little skeptical.
While Riley was posing for his photo shoot (he's a natural), Kristen looked on and remarked: "It doesn't matter how bad of a day you have. You come home and see his big gummy smile, and it lights up your day."