It’s been almost a decade since Lydia McLaughlin and her family appeared on The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 12 and a lot has changed since then.
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The RHOC alum, who appeared on both Season 8 and Season 12 of the show, is still outspoken about her faith, and is still a devoted mother to the three sons — Stirling, Maverick, and Roman McLaughlin — that she shares with her husband, Doug McLaughlin. But, her sons have grown up a lot since RHOC Season 12 first aired in 2017.
Lydia most recently took to Instagram, where she shared a major update on her oldest son, Stirling, and his newest venture in Lydia’s home province of Newfoundland, Canada, at her family’s newsroom. “Newfoundland is my happy place, and it’s part of my boys, too,” she wrote in the caption of the post.
Lydia’s grandfather, Geoff Stirling, founded NTV (North America’s first 24-hour TV station) and helped run Stirling Communications International. She revealed that her son Stirling is now a part of that legacy. “Watching Stirling intern in the newsroom as the 4th generation at our family’s TV station, to Mav and Roman roaming the same rocks I grew up on, it was a special few weeks,” she noted.Â
“I’m so thankful for these moments and this beautiful life. God is good,” she concluded.
Read on to learn more about what Stirling, Maverick, and Roman, as well as Lydia and Doug have been up to lately.
Lydia McLaughlin shares how much her sons have changed over the years
The Canada native continued to show of scenes from her family’s trip to her home land, showing off how much her boys have grown over the years. In a video posted to her feed, Lydia and her sons can be seen standing on a dock in Newfoundland before the video flashes to a photo of them taken so many years earlier and looking so much younger than before. “Who has changed the most?” she wrote in the caption of the post.
“I grew up in Newfoundland, and it’s so important to me that my boys know their newfie roots,” she continued. “Every summer of their life, we come home, and even though this was our first without my mom’s pancakes in the morning, we feel her presence in every corner. There’s something powerful in returning to your roots and connecting with the core of your being. I’m so thankful for traditions, our family legacy, and these precious moments with my boys…time moves too quickly, but these memories last forever.”
Lydia McLaughlin reveals why she’s so “proud” of son Maverick
Lydia took to Instagram in April, where she posted a tribute to her middle child, Maverick, as he turned 14 years old. “Maverick is a natural leader,” she noted. “As middle child, his life is filled with negotiation and being a peace maker. He is kind, faithful, loyal, smart, and funny. He is a true Maverick.”
“Doug and I are so proud of him, because of his heart,” she continued. “He is a lot like me and as we enter into these teen years I feel our powerful opinions giving each other a little pushback.”
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“Mavvy, I’m so thankful God chose me to be your mom. What a gift! We are learning so much from each other. You make me heart overflow with gratitude my sweet son. You are everything I could have every prayed for.”
Lydia McLaughlin shares a look at life with 10-year-old son Roman
In November, Lydia also took to Instagram where she celebrated her youngest son Roman’s 10th birthday. In the series of photos, Roman can be seen holding soccer trophies, hanging out on the beach, smiling alongside Maverick, smiling at Cotillion, and hanging out with her late mother, Judy Stirling, who passed away in October 2024.
“This is the last photo I have of my mom,” she captioned the photo of Roman and Judy. “You both were shopping for your birthday on her phone. The presents have arrived but she isn’t here to see you open the gifts. I know this year is going to be tough, so many first without [Judy]. Your birthday being the first without Nana. I know she is celebrating with us in Spirit, but I wish she was physically here.”
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She ended the post with a photo of Roman surrounded by her, her husband, and his brothers, at his birthday dinner. “Life goes on and tradition brings comfort,” she concluded. “Many a birthday we have celebrated at [Benihana] and we rang in your 10th in style. Love you sweet Roro.”
How Lydia McLaughlin honored her late mother, Judy Stirling
Lydia and her family members attended International Screenings in Los Angeles in May, where they paid tribute to Judy, who passed away after a battle with breast cancer, according to Us Weekly. Lydia took to Instagram, where she explained what they do during the screenings.
“Every year since I was a little girl, my family has gone to the International Screenings in Los Angeles,” she wrote in the caption of the post. “We have the last family-owned independent television station in North America. We represent our company, screen new content for television, and have the opportunity to buy the rights to broadcast shows in Canada.”
“It’s an honor, privilege, and always such a special week. This was our first time attending our first time attending without my mom, and her absence was deeply felt. But her legacy lives on in all we do,” she added, along with the words “making her proud.”
See how Lydia has continued to honor the legacy of her mother after her death.
