DEAR ABBY: A friend recently announced that she's pregnant. She has a stepson and another child with her husband. Last week, I received an e-mail from her giving me her sister-in-law's contact information. In it, she said that she's leaving it up to "us" to "work out the details" of the shower!
I was stunned because I wasn't aware that I was expected to help plan the shower or to contribute to it financially. I provided the cake and half the food for her first one, and I was happy to do it. I didn't know I was "expected" to do it again without being asked.
Is it the norm to have a second baby shower? And isn't a baby shower supposed to be a surprise for the new mom? Am I wrong for feeling that her attitude is presumptuous? I don't mind preparing food or the cake, but how do I tactfully tell her and her sister-in-law that I cannot contribute financially to this? -- "RATTLED" IN ILLINOIS
DEAR "RATTLED": Years ago, there was a rule of etiquette that one baby shower to a customer was enough. However, more recently, people have come to recognize that the birth of every child should be celebrated. It can be a surprise for the new mother, or not.
However, a shower is a gift -- and for your friend to have expected one or solicited one is wrong. I recommend that you tell her in plain English what you are prepared to do and what you cannot. The food or the cake should be more than enough.