‘And he lifted up his eyes and saw the women and the children and said, “Who are these with you?” And he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.”
When Esau sees the women and children he is impressed. To have many children was a sign of someone's importance. But even here Jacob is wary. The children are of course Esau's nephews and nieces, blood relatives, while the wives are less meaningful for him. So it is to the children that he refers. We notice his continuing subservience. He is still being cautious.