Interview with Jacob: four years 3 months

I missed this one back in October, but at 4 years 3 months it will still be fun to do. I hope to remember to do this annually, on Jacob's birthday from now on.

Here it goes:
 20 questions : answered by Jacob
1. What is your favorite color? Blue and pink
2. What is your favorite toy? Dinosaur you that I got when I was 3
3. What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries
4. What is your favorite tv show? Wild kratts
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Sandwich
 6. What is your favorite outfit? Pj day: dog jammies
7. What is your favorite game? Spy card game
8. What is your favorite snack? Graham crackers and apples
9. What is your favorite animal? Real: cow stuffed: bunny
 10. What is your favorite song? Old McDonald and baba black sheep
11. What is your favorite book? Dinosaur book
 12. Who is your best friend? Adele
13. What is your favorite cereal? Life
 14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play wild kratts
15. What is your favorite drink? Chocolate milk
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas morning
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Bunny and water
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Waffles
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday (since we are doing this late, I asked what his favorite thing for dinner was)? Cheese pizza
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Daddy's team coach (Williams golf team)

Jacob's Fall Progress report: Preschool 2 Four years old

Williams College Children’s Center

44 Whitman St.

Williamstown, MA 01267

413-597-4800

Parent/Teacher Conference Report

Child: Jacob Hillman                                                                                                                            Date of Birth: October 11, 2009

Parent/Guardian:  Angela Hillman

Parent/Guardian:  Joshua Hillman

Teacher: Brittany Burdick, Danielle Gismondi, Roberta Sweet and Bonnie Bresett                Classroom: Preschool Two

Fall Conference:                                                                                                               Date:  December 9, 2013

In Attendance: Angie Hillman, Roberta Sweet and Bonnie Bresett.  Report is written by Roberta.

Child’s Interests and Unique ways the child engages in play

Jacob arrives each morning with a smile and an “I’m ready to play and learn” attitude. Jacob needs to explore the entire room before settling on his first activity of the day. He usually invites his family to join him before they leave for work. After he has said his goodbyes he is ready to play with his friends in the dramatic play area, join friends for an art project or explore the sensory table.

Child’s growth since last report

Jacob has become increasingly interested in writing, especially his name. Since starting in in the preschool two classroom in September, there has been much improvement in his letter formation and size of letters when he signs his name. He is also asking how to spell other words. Jacob is a curious little boy who enjoys exploring our much larger classroom and trying new activities.

Relationships (peer & teacher)

Jacob plays with all his classmates but will still seek out a certain few with whom he shares the same interests. He has developed very nice relationships with the new children in our class. He has formed bonds with all his teachers and will seek out the closest teacher when he is sad or needs assistance.

Language development & Expression of child’s needs, feelings and thoughts 

Jacob is well spoken and fully participates in group discussions. He is very polite with his words and will start up a conversation when he enters play by saying “what are you doing? Can I play too?” Jacob really enjoys a funny story and will recall in detail what went on and who said what. He is animated in his storytelling.

Jacob is fully able to express his wants and needs to his peers and teachers. He will seek a teacher for help when he feels his friend is not listening to his words. This can make Jacob sad. He truly wants things to be fair. With a bit of encouraging he will talk to his friend again and the play resumes.

Response to group learning

Jacob enjoys small group learning and is an active participant. He loves new games and will stay engaged for some time. An example would be when the color dice game was played. The children played in pairs and kept a tally of the colors. The next day they played independently. Jacob was excited to see the game still out and would ask friends as they arrived if they wanted to play!

Independence

Jacob is very independent and has adjusted quite nicely to the new routines of preschool two. Some mornings are not as easy as others for Jacob to separate from his mom. Usually the offer of a book or a table activity will ease difficulties with separating. He and his mom do have a morning routine where she participates in one activity with him and then he walks with her down the hall, just to “the boots”, gives her one last hug and then walks back to the classroom. It is mornings that do not follow this routine that he most likely will have a hard time. It doesn’t last but a minute and his curiosity about what everyone is doing gets him in to explore the room and join in the play.

Health, Physical Development & Stamina

Jacob is a very healthy active boy. He enjoys snacks and eats most all his lunch. Jacob is also on the first children to fall asleep at rest time. After about a one and a half to two hour nap he is ready to go again! He enjoys all activities outside. Bikes and scooters are a favorite. He enjoys our walks to the library and just around campus.

New information shared by the parents about their child

·         LOVES to perform and dress up as characters from musicals he watches at home

·         He has occasional play dates outside of school

·         He has been whining more at home

               

Parent & teacher hopes for the child for the coming year

·         Continue with letter writing and recognition

·         Continue with number recognition and counting correspondence

·         Continue to encourage his enthusiastic thirst for knowledge

Jacob's "make 'em laugh": 9/30/2013

Jacob's Spring 2013 progress Report: Preschool 1

Williams College Children’s Center

44 Whitman St.

Williamstown, MA 01267

413-597-4800

Parent/Teacher Conference Report

Child: Jacob Hillman                                                                                                                           Date of Birth: 10/11/2012

Parent/Guardian:  Angie Hillman

Parent/Guardian: Josh Hillman

Teacher:                Shana Shippee, Ellen Richardson and Roberta sweet                                                 Classroom: Preschool One

Spring Conference:                                                                                                         Date:  5-6-2013

In Attendance: Angie Hillman and Shana Shippee

Child’s Interests and Unique ways the child engages in play

Jacob has continued to thrive throughout his time in the preschool one classroom. He is confident and engaged in play. He asks many questions to help further his understanding of situations that are new to him and he relies on past knowledge to help further facilitate new learning. He enjoys sensory activities and spends a great deal of time in the water table, painting or creating with play dough. Jacob still likes to explore the classroom in its entirety upon entering in the morning. He often likes to begin his day by enjoying a project with his mom and then he enters play situations with his peers. Jacob is highly verbal and imaginative. He enjoys pretend play and he will often act out different play scenarios with several of his classmates that involve pretending to be a family and going to work or going on vacation.  

Relationships (peer & teacher)

Jacob’s friendships have continued to grow and strengthen. He spends time with most of his classmates and over time has become closer with several peers that he was not as close to earlier in the year. He is open and engaging, inviting children to join in his play and easily able to enter play already in progress. Jacob feels things very deeply. He genuinely cares about people and is aware of others feelings. He often tries to make people feel better if they are feeling sad and enjoys giving hugs to people. There are times throughout the day that Jacob prefers to play on his own or in smaller groups. He has shown a lot of growth in his ability to communicate with his peers if they are doing something he would rather they not do such as taking a toy from him or sitting too close at circle.

His bonds with his teachers have continued to grow and strengthen and we immensely enjoy the hugs and love we receive from him!

Language development & Expression of child’s needs, feelings and thoughts 

Jacob is articulate and polite. He often has a lot to share and will sit with teachers and friends for extended periods of time having conversations. He has an amazing memory and will recall details from past situations and talk excitedly about them as if they had just happened. He loves to laugh and is quite funny. There are still times that he is a little sensitive and his feelings can get hurt easily. He has shown a lot of maturity in his ability to handle these types of situations.

Response to group learning

Jacob’s interests are wide and varied and he is a major contributor during group learning times. He enjoys sharing information with his teachers and peers and absorbs new information about different topics. He knows a lot of different information about a variety of topics and shares stories with enthusiasm. Jacob has really enjoyed our small group work and eagerly requests to finish tasks started during small group times. Jacob has shown a lot more focus during group learning times, even if the topic is something that does not seem particularly interesting to him and he is much less distracted by things going on around him. Jacob was very involved in all of our learning topics throughout the year. He especially enjoyed or music curriculum and the story telling element that developed towards the end of the year.

Independence

Jacob continues to show a great deal of independence. He follows classroom routines without difficulty and encourages friends to complete tasks when they need a little help. He is able to take care of his personal needs independently and has shown a great deal of growth when it comes time to choose seriousness over silliness during classroom transitions.

Health, Physical Development & Stamina

Jacob’s natural athletic ability continues to shine through. He gravitates toward any type of game that incorporates physical elements. He enjoys scooters and bikes, loves the running around on the playground and especially enjoys playing baseball or any sports related activity. He seems to have endless energy during the day but is quite tired when it is time for rest and goes to sleep quickly and without difficulty. He often sleeps for an hour and a half to two hours a day. He wakes rested and ready to continue his activities.

New information shared by the parents about their child

·         Jacob still enjoys coming to school and playing with his friends

·         He shows some apprehension concerning one classmate

·         He talks excitedly about different things he has done at school

·         He has been pushing some limits at home

·         He enjoys writing his name and has become more interested in letter and writing activities

               

Parent & teacher hopes for the child for the coming year

·         That his natural curiosity and his desire to figure out the way the world works is supported and encouraged

·         That his friendships in Preschool 2 continue to deepen

·         That he continues to find joy in his physical play and that he be given as many opportunities as possible to engage in these activities

·         That he continues to develop his already vast vocabulary and that his natural skill for the use of descriptive language and storytelling be further developed

Another Round and a new house

We are well on our way to completing another round of a fresh cycle of IVF. Josh and I went to baystate yesterday morning (early! needed to be there at 6:45am. Had to leave the house at 5am. Carly came to babysit Jacob at 5am). The retrieval went well. They retrieved 24 eggs which is really great! They called today to say that out of the 24 eggs, 20 were mature enough for the ICSI procedure (putting the sperm into the egg) and from those 20, 16 fertilized!. They will call back on Friday to tell me how they are doing and if I need to come in for a Day 3 transfer (Friday) or if I can wait until Sunday for a Day 5 transfer (in the previous two retrievals, I have always done a day 5 transfer). We will be transferring two embryos so we will see what happens! Excited, nervous, all things!

We also have signed a purchase and sale on a new house. we will close on Feb. 15th, the same day we close on our current home. The story about how we bought the house is really funny. We weer all set to put an offer in on this other house in Williamstown. I liked it enough and so did Josh and the price was such that we could make improvements. Anyway, Jim and Sandi were taking Jacob this weekend so Josh and I could pack. I had to be at Baystate Sat. morning for an ultrasound and bloodwork so we decided to spend the night in greenfield on Friday; Josh and I would leave from there Sat morning and Jacob would stay. Since we were kid less, our realtor asked if we wanted to see a house that just came on the market at noon on Sat. We said "Sure" the whole time thinking that we would make an offer on the other home and "just look" at this one. Well, we LOVED it. The house is great (a small yard) but it is great! After looking at it, we told our realtor that we would go have lunch and let her know if we wanted to make an offer (it had already been shown 3 times in 24 hours). Well, we skipped lunch and went right in to make an offer. as we were there, there was another person making an offer. Long story short, they accepted our offer and we are on our way! Bu

House on its way to being sold

Purchase and sale signed, rental lined up. Excited for a new change and excited to be renters for a while and not a home owner and at the same time excited to see where we end up in terms of a new house. This weekend Jacob is going to Sandi and Jim's so josh and I can start packing. Looking forward to being able to go through our stuff and really deciding what we need/ don't need.

Just wanted to add a few pics of the house. I may add more later.

Skiing

Jacob started skiing on New Year's Day. We signed him up for the 3 yr old group at jiminy and it was great. The first day was a little bit rough. Watching him walk in skis was so sad. It took him so long to go a little way - kept crossing his tips. But today was lesson 2 and he did so well - went up the magic carpet and down the slope. I had my real camera on the first day and just my phone today. Excuse the distance - didn't want to be scene by jake and I have not figured how to zoom on the iPhone.