• Deadline to vote for semi-finals is Thursday, October 22

Wesley, the son of Jeanett and Ethan Putt of Thayne, reached the quarterfinals in the national Baby of the Year 2026 competition after his mother entered him while caring for her son in the middle of the night.

“I was nursing him in the middle of the night and scrolling on Instagram, and I saw the post about Baby of the Year. I had never heard about it,” Jeanett said. “So I just clicked on it, and it was super easy to submit your baby’s profile and everything. So I just thought, oh, it’ll be fun why not?”

What started as a fun way to celebrate their firstborn has turned into an exciting experience for the family. The competition uses public voting to determine which babies advance, and Jeanett said the response from friends and family has been encouraging.

Jeanett described 9-month old Wesley as a playful, curious baby who enjoys being involved in whatever is happening around him.

“He doesn’t want to miss anything,” she said. “He is very much a part of the party. He loves to explore.”

She said Wesley enjoys trying new things and making people smile. His friendly personality has even made everyday errands more enjoyable.

“Everybody just lightens up,” Jeanett said. “And he smiles at everyone.”

Beyond celebrating the babies who participate, Jeanett said the competition also raises funds for babies in need across the country and families affected by natural disasters.

If Wesley wins, he would be featured in Variety magazine as well as a baby commercial for The Honest Company. The winning baby also receives $25,000 in cash, which Jeanett said could help the family work toward owning a home and investing in Wesley’s future.

Although the prize would be exciting, she said the experience has been worthwhile regardless of the outcome.

“He’s baby of the year in our hearts regardless, but hey, if we have a chance to have a life-changing prize, then we might as well try it,” Jeanett said.

Jeanett moved to Star Valley from Las Vegas during the pandemic for a job opportunity she initially expected to be temporary. She said she fell in love with the area and met her husband, Ethan, while backpacking in the Wind River Range. She joked that it was the first and last time she did a backpacking trip. Ethan was born and raised in Star Valley, and the couple will celebrate five years of marriage in December.

Jeanett said sharing Wesley’s story has been a fun way to celebrate their son in a community she has come to love.

Voting determines which contestants advance, and at the time of the interview, Wesley was in second place in his round. Voting for a spot in the semifinals is scheduled to close Thursday evening.

Community members can vote for Wesley at https://babyoftheyear.org/2026/wesley-d69a. You can also vote by scanning the QR code.