Sometimes I Feel Like a Kid Again

I'm thirty-five now and have been with my partner, Alex, for about five years. We do this age-play thing sometimes, it's part of our DDLG dynamic. He takes care of me like I’m his little girl again. I wear dresses, play dolls, eat snacks off a plate he holds out to me, things that bring back all the good memories from when I was really young. But you know what’s weird? When we’re not doing this...I often feel lost, like there are days where nothing feels quite as exciting or fun anymore. It's silly because objectively I have so much more going for me now than when I was a kid, I'm independent and in love with someone who cares about me deeply, but still, those moments of feeling small and wanting to be cared for creep up on me out of nowhere. Alex is great about it though, he lets me explore this side of myself without judgment. He’s also very protective; he wants to keep me safe and happy, much like a parent would want their child to be. But there's that nagging voice in my head sometimes...asking if I’m just being selfish or immature by wanting these things from him. So here’s where it gets confusing, I know intellectually that this is all adult stuff between adults who have agreed on these terms. Still, part of me wonders why the heck I need to feel like a little girl in my thirties? Am I really just craving attention and affection in an unhealthy way? Or could there be something deeper here, that maybe I haven’t fully grown up yet emotionally? It’s hard to tell because I also know how much joy it brings us both. Anyway, sorry for the rambling thoughts. Anyone out there ever felt this weird sense of needing to regress or feel small even as an adult? Is that normal or should I be looking deeper into therapy about these feelings?