No offense...naked!!

Ok. I discovered a week or so ago that some people get offended at the word "naked". If I was streaking through a wedding reception or through the neighborhood I could completely understand the objection to the word...(and actions mentioned above).

Josie (2 years) was going to "pose" for a picture. Eliz's (my friend/sister-in-law) friend (a photographer) was looking for a chunky...chuba chuba baby to take a picture of for a contest. Naked...except in a cloth diaper. Josie has some rolls to spare so Eliz thought of her. It was a last minute thing and we ended up not being able to get it arranged. Bummer...I would have loved to see that picture. Anyway...I had mentioned this "naked" picture in public. (I did clarify that it wasn't really naked...there would be a diaper in place).

But the mention of the word "naked" caused some cringes. It was not a huge objection...just a few suggestions of different words: unclothed, no clothes, bare skinned. I felt a teeny bit uncouth. That got me thinking about that ever so bare-skinned word.

I must give credit to everyone who cringes. When I think of the word with adults in mind I cringe a little too. Kind of strange how that one word can have different meanings for different age groups.

I like the word. I think it has a great flow to it. Naked, naked,naked!!! However, when I say the word it conjures up thoughts of babies...Anne Geddes...smooth skin, tiny toes, tiny fingers, tiny bottoms. Words like "unclothed" just don't bring those baby images to my mind.

For me it's a fun word...like saying "bubbelisious" or "serendipity". Those words are fun to say. I think of children playing in the sprinkler or happily running through fields of tall grass. How about "itchy Bob"? Has anyone else seen the kid show Martha Speaks? There was an episode about "What's Wrong With Bob?" Bob is a dog...he wasn't itchy...but they sure had fun saying it.

I suppose I don't walk around saying "naked" just for fun. (Bella and I have been known to randomly say "itchy Bob"). But if I have to describe a baby picture without clothes...I think I'm still gonna say "naked baby picture". :-)