The 2018 Gerber baby is the first baby with Down syndrome

Looking for your daily dose of cute? The 2018 Gerber baby is here! Since 2010, the company has held a contest to choose a baby to be the face of the brand for the year. This year’s winner is 1-year-old Lucas Warren from Dalton, Georgia. This is historic, as he is the first baby with Down’s syndrome to be named as the Gerber baby in the contest’s history.

“He’s very outgoing and never meets a stranger,” Lucas’s mom, Cortney, told TODAY Parents. “He loves to play, loves to laugh and loves to make other people laugh.”

Here’s the adorable shot that earned Lucas his title:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Be5djURhrDV/?hl=en&taken-by=gerber

Lucas beat out more than 140,000 tiny hopefuls to receive the honor of being the 2018 Gerber Spokesbaby. The company says that Lucas embodies the spirit of a Gerber baby and won the judges over with his infectious smile.

“Every year, we choose the baby who best exemplifies Gerber’s longstanding heritage of recognizing that every baby is a Gerber baby,” Bill Partyka, CEO and president of Gerber said. “This year, Lucas is the perfect fit.”

As the Gerber spokesbaby, Lucas’ parents will receive $50,000, which they plan to put toward his education. Lucas will also appear on the company’s social media channels and in advertisements throughout the year.

His parents hope that Lucas will help people realize that those with special needs are really no different from other children, and that they don’t need to be defined by their disability.

“He may have Down syndrome, but he’s always Lucas first,” said Cortney. “He’s got an awesome personality and he goes through the milestones of every child… we’re hoping when he grows up and looks back on this, he’ll be proud of himself and not ashamed of his disability.”

Congrats to Lucas and kudos to Gerber for their inclusive stance!