Am I being weird about this?

My sister is pregnant. I want to crochet her (baby) a blanket.

I emailed my mom to ask if that's something she'd like, and mom replies that I should email sis a picture of the pattern and let her decide if she wants it and pick a color.

Isn't that the opposite of a gift? I'd planned to go to the store and pick out a pattern from a book and some yarn, or get yarn that has a pattern on the label. I want to make something very neutral gendered: no pink or blue, no patterns (hearts or flowers). I saw a book of afghan crochet (the kind of crochet that's like single-hook knitting) baby blankets, and I liked one of the patterns in it.

Honestly, now I don't even want to bother.

Anyway, internets, am I wrong for being upset that I should let a gift be dictated?

Updates: work, fiction, health

I got another rejection on a story. This makes 0 for 7, but the second personal rejection. With feedback that would really have been useful before I exhausted all the pro SF markets. *sigh*

I revised the castle story and sent it out to another anthology. I think it fits the criteria marvelously, but I have no idea what the editor will think.

I not only have a German 1 class starting in October, but I also have a private lesson starting Monday. And no textbook (it's on order and hasn't arrived yet).

I made an appointment with my GP tomorrow morning to talk about my knee grinding when I go down stairs and the persistent tingling. (Sciatica? Something else?) I don't know whether I need to go to an orthopedist or if going back to PT will help. The PT I saw was fairly dismissive of my statements that my right hip didn't move as well as my left. ("Your left hip is just really loose, and you're comparing the two." Yes, I do have loose joints, but that doesn't preclude my right hip from having a problem.) So IDK, if I get a dispensation from an orthopod, maybe the PT will listen. Or a different PT.

I don't want to give up running, because I like it. I don't have money to join a gym (and the Y is more expensive than the gym ffs, fucking Chapel Hill), and my elliptical makes a distressing metallic grinding sound when I use it. I'd take up swimming, but the gym is too expensive. Unless I want to drive 20+ minutes each way to use a pool. (Spoiler: I don't.)

Blargh.