Ellis John Carlor has been named The 2024 First Baby of Newtown.

He was born nearly 24 hours into the new year, at 11:48 pm Monday, January 1, to Anne and Kwame Carlor of Sandy Hook. He joins a list of children who have shared the honorary title every year since 1959.

The arrival of their third son “was very calm for us,” Anne said. “I was induced, so we went in knowing it would happen, but it took all day.”

Ellis was in his mother’s arms while she spoke, and took that minute to coo.

“Yes you,” she said to the tiny boy wearing a handmade brown sweater bearing his name. “All day, until the last minute,” she added, smiling down at him.

A few days earlier, things were reportedly very busy at Danbury Hospital, Anne and Kwame both mentioned. They never expected to find out theirs was the first child born at the hospital in 2024.

“When we were leaving, the discharge nurse came over and handed us something and congratulated us on having the first baby of the year at the hospital.

“I thought she was kidding. We saw so many other people in there, but she said they all had their babies before the new year,” she added.

At the time of his birth Ellis weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces, and was 20 inches long.

He joins two older sisters, Maya and Ada.

His maternal grandparents are Joseph and Kathleen Linley of Washington, Conn. Paternal grandparents are Graciene Riche and D’Karn Carlor, of Liberia, Africa; and his paternal great-grandmother is Mangie Browne of Southbridge, Mass.

Ellis’s name is a tribute to his paternal grandparents, and to the city where his parents met.

“My grandmother came through Ellis Island, from Ireland,” Anne said. “And we met in New York City,” she continued, smiling toward Kwame. “My husband lived there for many years, and loves New York City, so we thought for a name it had some fitting points to it.”

“It’s a good New York name,” Kwame said, nodding and also smiling.

The newborn’s middle name, his mother said, is his late grandfather’s name.

The Carlors moved to Sandy Hook from Washington (Conn.) in August 2022. Kwame, 36, works primarily from home for the software technology company SalesForce. A former teacher of ESL at the elementary school level in Stamford, Anne, 37, is now a full-time mother to her growing family.

They love their new hometown, Anne and Kwame said. They were thrilled to find a home that has plenty of privacy while still being very close to Newtown’s many restaurants and businesses.

Their daughters attend Wesley Learning Center. The family has made friends and found themselves within a “wonderful community” there, Anne said. She credits that community, in fact, for making sure she and her family knew about the longstanding local First Baby tradition.

“Multiple parents and teachers contacted us, one way or another — phone calls, texts, social media — and basically all said, ‘You know, you guys need to enter this,’” Anne said. “Our school community truly were the ones who threaded the needle. They were the ones who told us about this.”

The Prize Package

This year’s prize package features gifts and services donated by local businesses. The Carlors will be receiving certificates to turn in at each location, but were given a printout of their prize list during the visit to their home this week.

“Wait ‘til you see this thing,” Anne said, handing it to her husband. “It’s unbelievable! All these places we’ve already been to or have been talking about.”

Each zoomed in on different offerings, tickled to see places with which they were already familiar. They laughed while pointing to different prizes, knowing the other would be equally pleased to see it. Even the girls were pulled into the fun once Anne noticed that one of the donations came from their favorite place.

The 2024 prize package is as follows:

$100 off trash service or $100 off dumpster rental from Associated Refuse Haulers; a $50 gift card from BD Provisions; dinner for the parents at Blue Colony Diner; a $50 gift certificate from Bora Restaurant; a $20 gift certificate from Burgerittoville; a $40 gift certificate from Byrd’s Books; a $25 gift certificate from Carminuccio’s Pizza & Subs; a $50 gift certificate from Dodgingtown Crafts & Spirits; a $50 gift certificate from Dodgingtown Market & Deli; two complimentary tickets to the 2024 movies at Edmond Town Hall; a $25 gift card from Fusion 25; a $25 gift certificate from Hero Barbering; a one-hour personal training session for MOM at Joanne’s Fitness Studio; a $50 gift card or gift basket from NewSylum Brewing Company; a $25 gift certificate from Nick’s Catering; a one year subscription or extension from The Newtown Bee; a $100 gift card from Newtown Hardware; a $25 gift card from Newtown Mobil Touchless Car Wash; a gift from Newtown Savings Bank; a large cheese pizza from Papa Al’s Pizza-Pasta-Subs; a $50 gift certificate from Ricci’s Salon; a $75 gift certificate from Sal e Pepe Contemporary Italian Bistro; a $25 gift certificate from Stony Hill Hardware; a $50 gift card from The Toy Tree; a $50 gift certificate from UK Gourmet; and a large cheese pizza from The Villa Restaurant & Pizza.

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Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.