Baltimore baby born on July 4 is competing to be named the 2026 Baby of the Year

BALTIMORE — A Baltimore baby is in the running to become the 2026 Baby of the Year, a national competition that puts a young star in the spotlight while also raising money for families in need.

“Her favorite thing to do is to play with her siblings and be held and cuddled,” said Sabrina Norris.

Her daughter, Syannei Rae, was born on July 4.

“I did not want a Fourth of July baby,” Norris said. “But it was like, OK, and everybody said, 'She's gonna be a little firecracker. It's gonna be fun. It's gonna be a celebration for her every year.'"

Norris has been her baby's biggest cheerleader.

"I make fliers for her, little posts on social media," Norris said.

Sabrina Norris

The Baby of the Year competition caught the attention of our newsroom after several local families reached out about their babies being in the running.

Norris said the decision to enter Syannei Rae came after a difficult first week.

"She's so cute, but her first week of life was a little rough, so I was like, 'Let's do something to celebrate your life,'" Norris said.

Just two days after coming home, Syannei Rae was rushed back to the hospital and admitted to the progressive care unit with an infection.

"It was rough. I'm postpartum and I'm in the hospital next to her bedside, with children at home. That's when I started to call on my village where I needed the support between home and the hospital," Norris said.

Now that Syannei Rae is home, healthy and happy, her network of family, friends, neighbors and daycare teachers are showing their continued support by voting for her in the competition.

"I had a great support system, still do," Norris said.

Sabrina Norris

The winner of the Baby of the Year competition will appear in a national ad campaign with Jessica Alba's Honest Company, take home $25,000 and land a spot in Variety Magazine. If Syannei Rae wins, Norris said she plans to put the money toward her daughter's college education and a trip to Disney when she's old enough for the rides.

The Baby of the Year competition supports Baby2Baby, a national nonprofit that provides essential items to children and families in need.

According to Baby2Baby, the organization has distributed more than half a billion critical items over the past 15 years, including diapers, formula and clothing.

The nonprofit also provides emergency assistance to children and families affected by disasters and supports maternal and newborn health through programs that provide essential supplies and resources.

Baby2Baby says it has received requests for 1.9 billion diapers this year alone.

In Maryland, the organization serves families in Baltimore, Bowie and Silver Spring, according to information provided by the organization.

To vote for Syannei Rae or any of the other adorable babies competing this year, visit here.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.