Back in February, I had a few people send me the link to a cute baby contest The Honest Company was having, urging me to enter James. I think my mom sent it to me three times.
The last time my mom sent the link she said, “The deadline is in a few minutes, just send in a few pictures!” I thought, eh, why not, and sent in three recent iPhone pictures. I think I got the email out with about two minutes to spare.
A few days later, I received a call that James had been picked as the size three boy! I was totally surprised because a) I’d already forgotten about the contest (my mind is a wasteland) and b) I’d had zero expectations. Of course I think James is cute, but I’m his mom! The woman from Honest scheduled James for a special photo shoot a few days later.
The shoot was at a studio in West Los Angeles, not far from our old condo. James and I walked in to an impressive spread of baby/toddler and adult snacks and drinks. James was not as excited about this as I was. He was far more into the assortment of toys that were spread out for him and the other kids to enjoy.
We only had to wait a few minutes before it was James’ turn. I changed him into a fresh Honest diaper (bicycle print), and set him down on a large, curved white backdrop. I joked with the photographer that he’d have to adjust his white balance, and he laughed…but then said, “Oh yeah, you’re right!” James is a pale, pale lad.
The whole thing took about thirty minutes. While the photographer snapped away, I asked about the photos and what they’d be used for. One of the women from Honest told me that they’d most likely be used for promotional materials, like Facebook posts and possibly an email blast. I figured it would be something along the lines of a “These babies were picked in our contest!” type of thing.
About three weeks later, I received an email from one of the contacts at Honest with some photos from the shoot. They were soooo cute:
(see what I mean about white balance?)
I forwarded the photos to my family, and kept my eye on the Honest Facebook page and newsletter, but as time passed I forgot to look for James and mostly just looked for deals.
Last week, I started getting messages and emails that said, “Did I see James on a diaper box at Target?” And I was like, “Noooo…wait. No. Honest isn’t sold at Target.” Except I hadn’t really been paying attention to the internet on May 30th (James’s Birthday), because that’s when Honest announced their new partnership with Target. Still, I just figured he was on some promotional stuff, not an actual box. Then my pal Jayme posted a photo and I was like, “Holy….”
Then we found them on the Target website on the size three box. But I still wasn’t going to believe it until I saw it myself with my own eyes. I started stalking our local Target – a true sacrifice – with no luck. At the end of last week, I received a package from Honest with James’ box, plus a note that read in part, “Surprise! We picked James for our new Target collaboration!” And I was like, “Imma let you finish, but the internet scooped you five days ago.”
Our local Target finally put the boxes out yesterday, which was good timing because I was out of diapers.
And then we did this and Annie was like, “…wait a minute!”
Annie: What is he doing in that box?
Me: That’s the box he came in.
Annie: James didn’t come in a box!
Me: Sure he did, his picture’s on the front.
We’re going to pack away an empty box so James can get a kick out of it when he’s older…and we can use it to embarrass him in front of future prom dates.
Suzie says:
Oh heather, that’s just fab! He is so cute and makes a perfect ‘box baby’ and the comment about him arriving in the box made me laugh out loud – and I’m at work!!
Carole says:
Oh wow, a cover boy! He does look gorgeous, although I think he looks just as cute WITH the little birthmark on his neck that they’ve photo-shopped out. But I guess that’s part of being a real model….
By the way, did you know you made the UK press with the “While I was at pre-school” story? Saw you last week on the ‘The Daily Mail’ online site. But a little advice: if you look it up, don’t read the comments. Daily Mail commentators are known arseholes. Fact. Can be safely ignored by all normal people!
Shea says:
True story. Reading the Daily Mail is a guilty pleasure of mine, but if I feel like a healthy dose of rage and righteous indignation, I head to the comments.
Susan says:
Same! Sometimes they get to be a bit too much even as a guilty pleasure, but they are good for an occasional eye roll.
But the majority of comments on James “pre-school” article were positive; only a couple of dumb comments.
nona says:
So glad I’m not the only one with this guilty pleasure…
Heather says:
Yes! A few people sent me the link, that’s so cool! And thanks for the head’s up on the comments. Sounds kind of like the comments on all of those sites…you never know who you’re gonna get!
Heather says:
Oh and yes, I like his little birthmark, too, although if you don’t know it’s a Hemangioma the bright-redness can be a little alarming! When people see it in person they sometimes think he’s bleeding.
Sara says:
My one month old has a hemangioma on the side of his head behind his ear. I’m pretty sure my MIL thinks I beat him.
Auntie_M says:
I love his birthmark–especially because when he turns his head just right, it looks like a bright red heart! This kid just bubbles love!!!!!
Christie says:
That is truly awesome! He deserves his place on that box.
AudNoL says:
So super-duper cute!
RzDrms says:
I’m glad you had a good experience with The Honest Company.
Rachel says:
This is the 1st positive blog post I’ve read about the Honest Company, but I read the Honest Toddler blog (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE HONEST COMPANY OR THE HONEST COMPANY WILL SUE YOU) and I don’t have babies or toddlers anymore, so maybe my exposure is biased. =)
Congrats on the modeling gig, & AngieM’s comment (#27) made me lol.
Enjoy your summer with those beautiful babies. Time does go too quickly. =)
RzDrms says:
TonyaM says:
How exciting! I’ve always thought he needed a modeling gig!
marcia marcia marcia says:
That is really cool! He is such a handsome boy, it’s no surprise they picked him. I love it!!
Courtney says:
How fun! He is a perfect cover model. Makes me want to go out and buy a box – except we’re in size 5. Baby shower gift, perhaps?
Megan says:
Wow! I’m not in the market for diapers normally, so I’m going to have to look for him the next time I go into Target. I live in Virginia. I never thought I’d see James in my Target!
What is that red mark on his neck in the bottom photo from the shoot?
Heather says:
He has a small cluster of Hemangiomas there on his neck!
MG says:
My kids had those for a while on their necks. One of my sons has “Mongolian” birthmarks (so sorry if that’s not the proper term or in any way offensive, haven’t looked it up but that’s what they told me). That’s an odd birthmark to have. His 2nd cousins have it too and the ER thought it was horrible bruises! They had to mark it in their charts so nobody was suspicious of child abuse!
Erin says:
That is so cool!
Emily De Jonge Elling says:
very awesome.
TamaraL says:
That is so awesomely exciting and they could not have picked a cuter baby model!
Meg...CT says:
SO GREAT!! He is most deserving of his status…he is an absolutely beautiful baby.
LizL says:
So, I totally saw him out here in Boston, but thought I was going crazy. I was like “that looks like James Sphor!” Then, I told myself I need to get a life and stop reading blogs so much.
Tracey says:
Now THAT made me LOL….and I’m at work:)
Heather says:
hahaha, you know, I probably would have felt like I was going crazy, too!
Jerilynn says:
I saw him at Target too (I also live in Mass.) and had the same reaction! I think I yelled out, “That’s James” in the store.
JennS says:
THIS IS MY FAVORITE BLOG POST EVER. From any blog.
Stephanie says:
He is gorgeous. Not surprised in the slightest.
Michelle H says:
That is so awesome!!! He’s perfect!
Mary says:
So awesome! He is so stinkin’ cute I’m not surprised!
Jill says:
That is awesome! He is ridiculously cute. What a fun thing to save for him when he’s older!
Kate says:
The internet scooped you 5 days ago. lol. Such great shots of James!! Exciting post!
Nicole S says:
Ahhhh!!!! How awesome!!! James is so super duper cute, this is so fun!!
Damita says:
This is so awesome! I don’t have a need for diapers AT ALL (although I do happen to know no less than four moms to be all due within a the next couple of months) but I now want to buy a box. They couldn’t have picked a better model. I may have to stop disliking the Honest Company now (bad feelings after the Honest Toddler drama).
Bridget says:
That is awesome. He is a cute kid.
Missy says:
So so awesome!!! And I TOTALLY wish I’d known about that contest! Congrats to you and James. He is the cutest little boy ever!
Glenda says:
Awesome!!! Congrats to James!!!
Katrina says:
I used disposable diapers on all nine of my previous babies…but this number ten baby is in cloth diapers because he is our last baby and I wanted to try something “new” — LOL — and man, now I wish he used disposables JUST so that I can go out and buy some Honest disposables with James on the box! How very, very cool — I think that is so awesome. Way to go, James! A cover baby!
Joyce Baca says:
I hope you got paid the the use of these photos…put it away for his college fund???
Heather says:
Yeah, he has a nice fund going!
AngieM. says:
“while you were at preschool…i was becoming a model. no biggie.”
Lesley says:
LOL! That would be a great one!
JustAMom says:
This is so cool!!! And now I have an excuse to go to Target even though I was just there two days ago!
Kristin @ In Between the Piles says:
How cute! You have quite the handsome model. Love his baby blues! How fun to have a picture of your kiddo on his box of diapers!
MG says:
O. M. GOSH! That actually brings tears to my eyes. Those pictures are beautiful. How cool to be on a box of diapers….that’s almost “Gerber Baby” cred isn’t it? So neat for you all. I will be on the lookout at Target.
Anna says:
That is the coolest! Haven’t we all been saying for years that your children should be models? What a cutie, and such a fun story!
Kristin says:
SO VERY Cool!!!!! Now I’m going to have to go to the diaper isle and be all “I know that baby!!” except I don’t KNOW him, but whatevs. Congrats mama! You’re kids are all stars!
Annalisa says:
Okay, I LOLed at the “James came in that box” line.
I kept getting emails too, but I thought they were scams. There’s something else called the cutest baby contest, and it’s annual. Mostly it’s a way to sell women on getting your kid to take “modeling” pics at an inflated price. So I was like “Neh”. Glad to know some of those are legit.
Cyndy says:
I think I’d be hanging out in the Target diaper aisle, offering autographs.
That is SO cool!
Ana-Maria says:
That is AWESOME, Heather! I want to go buy a box, just so we can say, “Hey, there’s James, we know of him.” We’re going to start stocking our local Target shop too. Oh, wait, mine wears size six. Well, we can still take a picture and send it to you -all the way from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. That is so Awesome!
Ana-Maria says:
Totally bummer news (or maybe just to me) -apparently ‘honest co. nappies’ are only for the Target shops in the States, not for in Canada, is what I have been told.
I thought how neat it could be if persons sent to you of their pictures of James from all over the world to put into a silly segment called ‘where in the world James has been’. Laughing out loud!Yes, my brain is a funny place. Oh well, c’est la vie.
Heather says:
Oh really? Bummer! That would have been so fun!
Skye says:
Way to go, James! So cool!
Jeanie says:
Of COURSE they picked James. The cutest little boy in the world. I can’t believe how stinkin’ happy this makes me.
Sue says:
WOW, James,,,,,,,,,,,,,,congratulations big guy!!!!
Norma says:
He is such a gorgeous baby, it’s no wonder they picked him! Congratulations!
Jen C. says:
That is so awesome! I actually saw them last week and was sure it was James! I’m so glad it is!!! He is a gorgeous baby!!!
aqua6 says:
We’ve been using Honest Diapers for the last 6 months or so because the Pampers size 6 gave an instant rash for my son. Hoping to be almost done with diapers altogether but we’ve had a great experience. Kind of curious what all the comments above are alluding to…? He is an adorable baby and how great that you were nearby to do the photo shoot! Maybe the Target partnership explains why they were suddenly out of the diaper prints this month for the first time?
ella says:
This cannot be the end of James’s modeling career!!
Elissa says:
I walked past a box last week and did a double take. Then I chastised myself for being a crazy blog stalker and figured it must be James’ beautiful baby double. So, I still feel a little crazy for recognizing a photo of a child I’ve never met, but at least it was really him. Lol.
Jeannine says:
I was in Target the other day picking up a couple packs of Honest diapers to try on my girls and I KNEW that baby looked awfully familiar! I feel like an idiot for not recognizing it was James immediately
On another note JESUS THOSE PICTURES ARE ADORABLE. That boys eyes are perfection.
Auntie_M says:
Those pictures of James are, duh!!!, of course, freaking adorable!!!!!
And, as I said above, I LOVE James’ birth mark (when he turns just right, it totally looks like a heart!!!); wish they hadn’t edited it out!
I love how you put James in the box with his picture! Too cute!
And I think you should flatten and frame and empty box so that when dates come over, you can hang it someplace prominent! LOL
And pictures of it can somehow be incorporated into his wedding…you’ll know it’s the right girl for him, if her parents have pictures of her in an empty diaper box (preferably one with James’ picture on it!)!!!