My cell phone rings and it is Aidan. He just off the plane and is waiting with Yang and Lydia for the stroller. He starts to tell me about his new lego toy and that he put it together all by himself. I am waiting just outside the gate, wearing my blue sweatshirt, hood on. My hair has been an out of control mess for about a week and it will be another day before it is orange, so I feel more comfortable hiding it.
When Aidan is done talking, I ask to speak to Yang. She gives me the 411. I continue to wait, imagining them walking down the corridor and then through immigration and finally to luggage. Time passes. I shift my weight from left foot to right, right to left. I take my hood down. Then I see them, snaking their way past the luggage turnstiles, Yang pushing Lydia and Aidan following close beside. I wave but they do not see me. A moment later they are through customs, sans luggage, and Yang hands me Aidan and then Lydia before heading back inside to get the luggage. A slight murmur runs through the other people waiting for passengers. Aidan and Lydia still have their cute gene intact.
They are both happy to see me, Aidan demonstrates his new lego robot type toy and Lydia shows me her new doll. The doll has long black hair which is a new twist -- she had been favoring the blond hair dolls. Eventually Yang comes out with two suitcases and two boxes and a 10 kuai luggage helper. We make out way to the car and head home.
Once home the kids (sadly it seems they are too old to be called "the babies" now) want to watch Tom and Jerry. Beijing being what Beijing is, we have a Tom and Jerry collection that rivals Warner Brothers. After they watch a bit, Aidan begins to play with his toys. This is what I expect and what I remember from previous trips. Lydia and especially Aidan have a strong attachment to their toys. Not just a single favorite stuffed animal or set of blocks. But to nearly all of them. Aidan will lay out all his toys and play with them one by one, as if reacquainting himself with old friends, which i guess he is. Lydia is more focused on her dolls. And occasionally she will say "cui ayi, wo xihuan ni" and run to cui ayi and hug her. cui ayi has been our ayi for three years now and has recently taken the past six weeks off to return to her home town. Lydia is glad she has returned as am I, given the total destruction the kids just made our living room.
They fall asleep early and sleep deep. I'm not sure if they have a strong sense of being home or not, that maybe this is too adult a concept. But I do think that in their own, non adult type manner, they are home and they are comfortable knowing where everything is. Every last toy. Every last Tom and Jerry DVD.