DEAR ABBY: For the last year I have been reading your column and I am now a faithful fan. Something has really been troubling me.
A few days ago, I was in a church hall when a woman carrying a baby came in and sat down next to me on the bench. I must add that the baby was a beautiful one.
I could not tell whether the baby was a boy or a girl, and I could not think of a polite way of asking the mother. What would have been a polite way of finding out? -- AMBER IN SACRAMENTO
DEAR AMBER: You could have said, "My, what a beautiful baby. What did you name this adorable child?"