My coffee table is a work of art. Because of its design? No, it is just a plain wooden top and metal legs. Because of what lies upon its surface?? No, usually it is cleared of any odd items as soon as Lil’ Duck Duck enters the room.
The art is in the things that have happened to it, making it uniquely our own. It occupies a place of honor in the middle of our great room – not because of any lofty ideal, just because I need a footstool and a place to put my dinner 
. This is actually the baby’s first art piece.
You see, first the little one learned how to pull himself up and stand, using the table as a support. Then he added some artistic touches in the form of dents by banging on it with my pots and pans (and other heavy objects). After that, he discovered what markers were, and used those to add to his masterpiece.
One sorrowful day, Daddy left the permanent marker down, and the art piece was fully realized. The art on the carpet and the DVD’s was not as well appreciated, however. As this is living art, it is often updated with smears of pop-tart filling in the crevices, pizza sauce circles, and other unique decorations as the mood strikes.