Why do compliments matter so much?

I was reading through old messages with my bf and he use to call me pretty and sexy and gorgeous, now I haven’t heard those words out of his mouth in like a year. Idk why it feels so good to be called those things, and why it feels bad to not be called those things. when you already know your man feels that way about you. And appearances don’t even matter that much. Maybe it’s childish. Idk. I just miss it.