Keep me awake with a realization.Shift's over. It's my turn to drive home since I opted to sleep on the way to work while my mom battles slow drivers and her own tiredness. I don't mind though, since my mom looks really tired from her night. I get into the driver seat and prepare myself for what should be a normal drive home: flowing traffic with open lanes and 333bhp to battle my very own fatigue in a race to reach finish before my body does.
But it wasn't a normal drive home. Ten minutes into the drive, I signal to switch lanes to the right and my mom says something interesting that would forever change the way I look at Izabella, my 5 year old sister.
"Do you know what Bella asked me the other day, Steph?"
"What'd she say?"
"How does the car know when you're gonna move sideways?"
I immediately smiled. My mom explained to me that Bella said she "sees and hears" the blinkers from the backseat before every lane switch my mom does and that Bella thinks the car anticipates your every move. Mom also tells me that Bella's very aware of other cars that pass by at a faster rate of speed and notices them switching lanes as well.
"Bella, I'm controlling the blinking lights and the ticking noise." my mom explains.
"Oh. So you're telling the car to move?"
"Yeah, hahaha."
"Hmm.... what about other cars?"
"The drivers are controlling them too."
"Oooooh."
That's when I realized that she's growing up. Even though she's still that toddler who gives life and thinking ability to every inanimate object, I realize that she's actually contemplating about how things work. She's starting to figure out that every action has a reaction. My mom's story brought light to everything else my sister does as a toddler. She's mostly intellectual in the way she entertains herself. Sure, she loves dresses and everything that has to do with "Hannah Montana" and the "Jonas Brothers", but she shows so much more interest in what makes things tick.
I spent 5 minutes reminiscing the last 5 years, watching Bella grow up all over again in a span of 300 seconds, phasing out traffic and my mom's voice. Life is so fast. I've never felt such a genuine nostalgia before, and I can truly say I already miss my baby sister. Even though she's at home, I'm gone more than half the time I'm there, balancing work, upcoming school, and trying to hang out with friends. What's more, she's starting school this year as well. At this rate, I'll be lucky to see her on weekends!
I snap out of it just in time to dodge an 18-wheeler trying to switch lanes while I'm in his blind-spot. Startled, my mom asked me if I'm falling asleep. All I said was:
"She's growing up."
My mom agreed. | 
