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2020 Gerber Baby Becomes First Adopted Child Chosen For Campaign

Magnolia Earl, who turns a year old on Saturday, is making history.

Gerber is making history within its own brand as they’ve decided to make an adopted child the highlight of their 2020 baby campaign.

Magnolia Earl, who will celebrate her first birthday on Saturday (May 9), becomes the first adopted baby to be named a Gerber baby, a tradition that dates back to 1928.

The announcement was made during the third hour of the TODAY Show on Friday. Magnolia becomes the baby products company’s latest groundbreaking spokesbaby in recent years. She follows the first Gerber baby with Down syndrome and the first one of Hmong descent.

Courtney and Russell Earl, Magnolia’s parents, were joined by their older daughters Whitney, 12, and Charlotte, 8, for the wonderful surprise.

"This is incredible," Courtney Earl said. "It means that when people see our families, or if you see a family that doesn't necessarily match, that you don't have to question the belonging of anybody in that family."

"Mommy always says a family is built on love," Russell Earl added. "We may all look different, but we're one family."

As for Magnolia’s biological parents, Courtney says they’re still in regular contact with them. "We celebrate adoption in our family every single day," she said. "The real hero in this story are Magnolia's birth parents. They chose her life, and they sent her on this incredible journey."

The adoptive mom said she spoke with her little girl's birth parents on Thursday about Magnolia being a Gerber finalist.

"If you could hear the joy in their voice of how proud they are of this little girl," Courtney said. "Together with them and our community and our family, we all this love this baby girl so much."

"She brings so much joy and happiness to everybody," Russell added.

Congrats are in order to Magnolia and her family! Watch the TODAY segment here.

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