I can’t handle my (21f) bf (27f) doing “sentimental” things for me?
Okay, been together for a year and he’s amazing thoughtful and so attentive. The only thing that’s starting to annoy me is, sometimes his gifts or acts of service are pseudo “sentimental” and don’t evoke the feelings he intends…
I grew up holding value in things I’ve had as a child, my 2 plushies which survived my mom’s “cleaning” episodes where she just threw out my stuff without warning, my photos, letters I wrote, my art and poems, and the small random gifts my childhood friends or family members left me.
My bf didn’t have this type of sentimental childhood and so I think this is where the root of the issue is.
Some of the things he has done:
bought me a brand new version of my childhood plushie to replace my current one since he is literally missing all his stuffing and buttons. This was not easy to find, he had to buy it from another country and it’s not from a big retailer.
when I told him one of my bad birthday childhood memories; not getting the toy or cake I had asked for all year and handling it with grace, only to ball my eyes out when my sister got both of them for her birthday the next month. Then he ordered the cake and buys me the toy.
I told him some of my random dumb childhood thoughts, like wanting to be in the newspaper for my grades like other children since I had higher grades but my parents didn’t know to apply for it. So he literally designed a newspaper with my face and grades!
Most of the time his gifts and efforts are sooo welcome and I feel lucky to have someone pay this much attention. But these instances and a few more made me really sad, seeing a brand new version of my plushie totally diminished all the sentiment of the one who has been with me through my entire life. Seeing the cake I always wanted as a kid made me want to cry in a bad way, and now I have a plastic toy I will never use.
I don’t know how to be gentle and talk about this. Any advice is appreciated.