In order to understand a person the whole biography has to be known.what happened to your Mother Cross stitch long before you existed will have shaped her as a Mother.If her parents were cool then in order to survive she would have to fit in with their nurturing.Her own circle shaped her.You know that people seem to have warm relationships...did she?
People get "more like themselves" as they age..doing the right things goes a long way for our own mental health.some times it breaking away from people and at other times just continuing as things were...
I hope you build in happy events to your schedule..you deserve to have pleasures..
It sounds like you are supportive of your Mother she will know at some level...Bless you.