A New Year's note from the Ellises...

As every year comes to a close we all tend to look back over the ending year with contemplation and look forward to the new one ahead with determination and motivation (however temporarily for some of us).

For the Ellis family, 2015 held some of the greatest highlights of life. We celebrated one year in our first home together, while we prepared to be parents and personalized Brady's manatee themed nursery. We brought our healthy 9lb 8oz, 22 1/4 inch gargantuan infant son home from the hospital and "home" itself took on greater meaning. We celebrated perhaps one of the few ever "wedisms" as a new family, as we had our marriage blessed in the Catholic church and our Brady Robert Baptized all in the same lovely ceremony. We woke up every day feeling so genuinely happy and blessed that we had been given this gift of such an amazing little boy. The one thing we won't look back on 2015 with is regret.

But as 2015 comes to a close we do mourn the baby that we spent a truly perfect four and a half months with. Incredibly, we weren't sleepless, we weren't stressed, life almost seemed easier because of the happiness he brought. We had a little piece of unadulterated joy in our lives and we experienced the picture perfect. That baby we unfortunately will never see again. He will still bring joy. He will still bring happiness. Perhaps this new Brady will share some characteristics or perhaps he'll be a totally new child. Life with Brady won't be worse by any means, but it is an undeniable fact that it will be very different.

We could not feel more relieved that our big little man is a fighter and here with us to ring in the new year. For one moment we will say goodbye to what was, and in the same breath, we will acknowledge that so much more is possible. We will continue with the faith, hope and love that has, and will continue to, carry us through the next phase of our lives as a family.

Our Brady may not be the little guy he was, but in such a short time he is already so much more to so many different people. As Brady continues to emerge from his hypoxic brain injury and battle his infantile spasms throughout 2016, we will discover his new strengths and his new weaknesses. We hope this year we meet a new little personailty and have faith that we will be able to reach him in whatever new way best suits our lil dude. We know we may continue to hear hard news, but we also know miracles happen.

The theme of the 2016 year for the Ellis family will be "gratitude". Grateful for our incredible son. Grateful to live in the Boston area with some of the best medical teams in the country. Grateful for our family who does not waver in their support in more ways than we thought possible. Grateful to friends that balance their own families with reaching out to ours. Grateful to strangers. The kindness of strangers has continued to be overwhelming and heart warming.

2016 will be a year of rebirth for our son. We will cherish what was and will embrace what will be. We know we will not steer the course alone and hope all of you who journey with us have a blessed new year.

Love always,

Brady's Daddy and Mamma