Something to Consider when Suprising your Child with an Orangutan

Apparently this orangutan was suppose to be one of the gifts for my 30th birthday thing. It got here a little late (last week) so Kim brought it over anyway. When she came over Ari was sleeping so I thought it would be nice to surprise him. I set it by his bed... Kim and I sat in the backyard talking (baby monitor in hand) until I heard the sound of a frightened child coming over the airways. I ran into Ari's room to find him huddled in the corner of his bed crying and trying to get as far away from the orange monster as possible. Oops. Ari refused to go near the orangutan and death gripped my neck every time we got close. If the orangutan was in a particular room of the house he refused to go in there, i.e. he wanted a toy from his room but made me first take the orangutan out so he could go in there. I finally put it in the corner of the living room away from any path he might take. He started to look at it more and more throughout the day, then closer, closer, touch it and run away, closer closer until he finally went up to it, pet it and said "he's nice." They have been friends ever since.

Lesson learned.