Okay, advice gurus, here's one for you...

[TheStinger]

Steal the child and sell it to Rob.

[red_jon]

@ Stinger.

[Spiffor]

I agree with Red Jon. Rob has to move on, and it is your role to convince him. I think you should tell about Laura's new life very progressively, and start with talking about Ian. Rob has no real reason to hate you for it, and it can help you convincinging him to move on.

It'd be big crap if he hadn't children because of unrealistic dreams. In the end, if he manages to have children with another woman, he'd thank you bigtime.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I'm leaning toward AH and especially C0ckney's advice here. I'd like to be the one to break it to him, take him out, get him drunk, and then slap him until he faces the facts -- but I'm 7 time-zones away, and this isn't the kind of thing you do by e-mail. I should ask his ex to come clean with him already, I suppose.

Geez, I hate this sh!t...

[Spec]

Just tell Rob or ask Laura to tell him, otherwise he'll never look for another girl and then be sure he wont have kids ever.

Spec.

[Lincoln]

An opening will come up in your correspondence and then you can tell him the truth. Wait for him to ask a relevant question and then answer truthfully with a little extra information about her new child.

[JohnT]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
I'm leaning toward AH and especially C0ckney's advice here. I'd like to be the one to break it to him, take him out, get him drunk, and then slap him until he faces the facts -- but I'm 7 time-zones away, and this isn't the kind of thing you do by e-mail. I should ask his ex to come clean with him already, I suppose.

Geez, I hate this sh!t...

Ahhh. I didn't get that (about being separated) from the first post. You're quite correct: this isn't something you tell by email or even by phone.

[monolith94]

1) What would you do if you were in my shoes now?

I'd ask Laura to tell Rob the truth. It's for his own good to hear it from her. It may be more painful, but it's the only way for him to finally get himself away from this string-along.

[LTEC!]

There are a few ways to go here:
a) If you are in contact with him and talk about everything, even said Laura. When the subject arises (IF it does) tell him, that he should move on like his exwife did, shes happy with the baby and his new guy. (-why, you mean you didn't know??!)
and you get it off his chest.
b) If you're in contact with both him and her you ask her. Hey Laura, does Rob know that you had a kid and moved on? No? I think he should know so he could give you relationship some closure.
c) If Laura doesn't think she wants to talk to Rob and put him up to speed with her life its up to you if you even want to tell him. And if it does come up to the conversation you can tell him that Laura said that she wasn't interested that he knew.

In any case. That relationship is over. Rob is going to have to get over whatever happened with his exwife and look for someone else to fulfill his paternal instincts.

[Alexander's Horse]

If this guy is so clueless he doesn't know

a. the ex has a new boyfriend

b. she's had a baby with him

c. she lives with him

Mind your own business.

[JohnT]

God, I hate to admit it, but...

AH changed my mind

[Tuberski]

I agree with AH, fi he can't figure it out, he doesn't need to be told by you.

I'm either a) he hasn't seen her in the last 3 month's of the pregnancy, or b) he convinced himself that she wasn't pregnant.

Either way, you telling him isn't going to change anything.

He's either moved on, or he is fooling himself and you aren't going to change that.

ACK!

[vovan]

a) he hasn't seen her in the last 3 month's of the pregnancy

Now Rob and Laura are in different cities, but still in touch by e-mail

He probably hasn't seen her since she moved to that other city...

But any way, if Laura doesn't even want to tell him (via e-mail, or calling him on the phone) that she's got a new guy, and that she has a child, she probably doesn't care too much, any ways... Tell her that Robby has secret hopes of getting together with her again. Maybe she'll pity him, and tell him herself. But don't bother yourself, because AH's point is still valid: if the guy isn't persistent enough even to make his ex admit she's got a baby from her new guy, ... well, don't bother.

[Alexander's Horse]

The fact he's so completely unaware of what is actually happening in her life is probably why she left him in the first place.

[Urban Ranger]

I disagree. Since Rob will find out eventually, you're best off telling him now. If he can't rely on friends to feed him information he doesn't have, who can he rely on? If you don't think e-mail is the medium, write a letter, or call him on the phone.