Oy, that does sound awful. It's too bad you can't just be like, "look, you're clearly not getting the hint. I don't hate you, but I don't really want to be your friend," without you being the bitch. I guess ignoring texts it is? What a crummy situation. What is it about her? Does she just bug you? She must not be THAT…

You don't. Seriously, you just don't. Which is why I'm very confused as to where these ladies are partying!

It doesn't seem like much of an "if" since the LW said she goes out with them all the time. Is she presumably spending no money at all on these excursions? No, I think it is a safe assumption that she can afford child care on occasion. Of course, it's a different story if she CAN'T, but that doesn't seem the case…

The only time I could see that being a problem is if you're the one hosting - you have every right not to invite Ann (who wants someone they dislike in their house?) but is it worth the inevitable questions and hurt feelings and resentment from all parties involved? I guess I'd just suck that up, too.

A 6pm chill sesh is totally different than a 3am liquor-fueled fuckstravaganza. Totally agree with everything you said - either get a sitter or don't go out. No one ever told you having kids was easy or fun all the time.

Absolutely! If a girlfriend of mine can't ever go out because money's tight, I'll totally pick up the tab once in a while. But offering to pay for child care on top of that and on the reg is absurd, and I can't imagine too many decent people accepting that very often.

Sara pointed out that this friend has the expendable income to go out all the time - why does she need to crowd source child care, exactly? Clearly she can afford it. Of course it's a nice thing to do on occasion, but honestly, more than a couple times a year seems ridiculous and a bit more than patronizing. She's a…

So just to be clear, you're saying they should ditch the mom and leave her alone with only her baby for company? Well, I guess she'd get the point, at least, but it's a pretty shitty thing to do to a friend.

We all have to put up with shitty office mates on occasion, but are you saying you have to see her outside of work too? That sounds awful.

I have never seen it either, and I've worked in (and frequented!) quite a few bars. I mean, I've seen people sit in the bar area with kids, babies even, and I've seen dads drinking with their ten-year old sons at 1 in the afternoon during boating or snowmobiling seasons, and I've seen people bring their babies to…

Ha, I like your last suggestion. Shame is a pretty motivator.

I think if you're in the minority, you either have to disinvite yourself or just suck it up, unfortunately. Asking your friends to exclude her will likely only result in drama directed at you. At least in a large group setting, you can pretty much avoid her, and then you can just do the occasional one on ones with…

If they hang out every weekend with getting laid as only a possibility and not the purpose of going out, and the friend always tags along with the baby, then no, it's not so much a herd mentality as it is their group likes what they like, enjoys doing it with their girlfriends and have no responsibility to cater to…

I'm always so wary, as a childless person, of judging parental decisions, but this one is a no-brainer, seriously. You just don't bring a baby to a bar. And also - what kind of bar allows a baby in until the wee hours? This is ridiculous all around.

I agree with you on being more direct, especially if the original advice doesn't take the first time (I'm a big fan of starting in small steps on big issues like this) but it's not her friends' responsibility to alternate taking care of her kid on weekends. That just means someone is always excluded from fun times. I…

And how is that even fun for the mom? What kind of bars are they going to on a Friday night that logistically allows for a baby carrier? Or is she using a baby backpack? What if someone spills a drink into her baby's mouth? Bars are loud, how is that baby not crying the entire time? I find this entire situation so…

Ugh, yes, being in gray purgatory is the worst. I feel ya. You get out of it when an Gawker blog or author follows you. If it makes you feel better, there are a ton of regular, well-known, insightful and witty commenters who have been here for years and years still stuck in the gray. I don't think I am terribly…

Ha! Your last paragraph reminds me of this story that says 3 out of 10 Americans believe god determined the outcome of the Super Bowl this year, and a full 53% think god rewards Christian athletes with success and good health.

Right?! I was like, "this is oddly sentient. He even said 'atheist plight' - did he just admit there's discrimination involved in being an atheist?!!" and then he turned the crazy on. I was almost hopeful for a second.

Well if we put it on our money and in every political speech, it's certainly not surprising that common folk do it too.