LIFE & COLOR: MEET MEGHAN

An interview with MH Editor, Rebecca

MEET MEGHAN – Meghan Alfonso (@megsalfonso725) is a CEO, mom-to-be of a baby boy, stepmom to two girls, wife, and all-around juggler! Based in Phoenix, AZ, we chatted with her about all the hats she wears (and how she does it), what makes Phoenix so vibrant, and her IVF journey.

Tell us about living in Phoenix!

I was born and raised in Phoenix and I am actually 5th generation Phoenician. My dad’s side of the family has been in Arizona before the state was even a state. I have loved living and growing up in Phoenix not only as a child but now raising a family in my hometown. The city still feels somewhat small. I went to college two hours away which allowed me to expand my wings but not feel too far from home. Today, I have created two businesses and cannot wait to raise my little boy who will be 6th generation to carry on the family legacy!

Why did decide to start your family there?

I met my husband in Scottsdale - he had been married prior to us meeting and as part of his divorce agreement, he cannot leave the state until after his youngest graduates. Together we have built a beautiful home and life together and we are now waiting for the arrival of our little one.

What do you love about Phoenix?

I love that you can be in the middle of a bustling city but go two hours north and you are in the mountains. Or take a drive four hours south and you are on the beach in Mexico. The diversity the city has to offer also attracts me to this little desert town.

Why does it feel like home?

Phoenix feels like home because all of my family and friends are here. My husband jokes with me that whenever we go out, I will see someone I know. I love that though, and hope our little boy falls in love with Phoenix as much as I have.

How would you describe the “local color” of Phoenix?

The local colors are bright and vibrant, which matches the intensity of the heat we endure as well as the metropolitan feel. I have been inspired by so many hardworking people in Phoenix and feel it encompasses the entire state.

What are your favorite places in the city, and why?

I love going out to eat in Old Town Scottsdale. When I was younger, going to the bar scene down there was always on my weekend agenda. The energy of going to a professional sports game is always a fun time but I truly love being at home with my family and friends. We have a lot of parties and get togethers.

What are you inspired by?

I am inspired by my ancestors - I want to leave a legacy behind and feel they paved the way for me. My great grandfather was the first Coors beer distributor in the Southwest. He was a trailblazer for the family and someone I admire.

What is your favorite color?

Purple! I have always loved this color and incorporated it into my wedding colors as well.

What are your favorite colors to wear?

I like to wear white, tans, and patterns.

What are you most grateful for in this moment?

That we are pregnant. My husband and I had a very long journey to get to this moment, but we are here, and I am beyond grateful.

When are you due? Do you have a named picked out?

I am due November 14th and we are going to name him Pearce Anthony Alfonso. My maiden name is Pearce and Sean’s middle name is Anthony! I always wanted to name my boy Pearce in honor of my family’s name, plus I feel that is a strong cowboy-like name.

Tell us about your family.

My husband is the most important person in my life. From the moment we met, I knew he was the one. Sean pushes me to be the best version of myself each and every day. He stands by me through both business and personal issues and always thinks seven steps ahead of me on what will be best for our family. I have never had someone in my life who will push me the way he does. When I married Sean, I also became a stepmom to two beautiful girls who I have been able to watch grow up over the past 10 years.

It has been GREAT! I have been really tired, and I go through spurts of energy but not too emotional! I have enjoyed watching my body change and develop and love being able to hear his little heartbeat when we have checkups. I sometimes get down on myself if I haven’t worked out much, but I have to remind myself that I am carrying a lot more weight than normal and need to give myself grace.

Tell us about being a bonus mom.

It is awesome. I feel very fortunate to be another role model in the girls' lives and I have a great relationship with both of them. Sean and I were very cautious and aware that if we were to be married, that not only meant him and I were in a relationship, but the girls and I, too. We took our time to move in together, then to get married, and now to have a baby, which is why I believe it is all working out so perfectly.

What advice do you have for other stepparents?

To be patient. There is no need to rush anything, and you should give each person time to adjust to one another. When I first came into their lives I was “daddy’s friend” and would play with them a lot or meet them at fun get togethers. I wasn’t just coming over and disciplining them or not engaging with them. I also let them know that I know I am not their mom but will be there for them and love them like my own.

Are your daughters excited about the new baby?

Yes! Bella (the 16-year-old) is so excited and has been buying him cute little outfits. Ava (the 13-year-old) helped me decorate his room the other day and I believe is looking forward to having a little baby around. Both have already told me that they are not changing his diaper...but we will see! ;)

Tell us about your IVF journey.

Man, where do we begin…. I never thought I would have to go down the IVF route but after my husband’s vasectomy reversal did not work, we had no other option. We went to a doctor who was a tad more old school and didn’t offer embryo testing prior to implantation. In January 2020, we transferred two embryos at once and did not get pregnant. Then we waited a few more months and in March 2020, we transferred the last two and did not get pregnant again. I was devastated. Those were our last embryos and Sean had gone through this painful procedure to get the small amount of sperm we did and now we were back at square one.

This was also when the world was shut down and life seemed very questionable. We decided we needed to take a minute and regroup and possibly explore other alternatives. We spoke to an adoption agent and that made me feel even more defeated. Knowing I did not want to go down that path, Sean and I agreed we would interview new fertility doctors and try again. We settled on a new fertility doctor (Dr. Lipskind) after interviewing a few others and I instantly knew this was a great fit for me. He and his wife have gone through IVF, so I knew he had compassion for what we were going through. The first step is to prepare for egg retrieval and do another sperm collection. Unfortunately, my eggs were not good and even though we collected 12, not one passed embryo testing. Once again, I was heartbroken. Was I the problem? Could it have been me the whole time?

After a few days of laying in my bed and crying, I pulled myself together and we decided to do another round of egg retrieval. Well thank goodness we did because we retrieved 15 eggs, but only 1 passed testing. Like my husband and our doctor said, “you only need one.” So, we put all our cards on that one little embryo to be our baby and the one we were supposed to get. Before the actual transfer, we did a “fake” transfer to ensure all the medicine and my levels were perfect for our one embryo. I also had stopped drinking alcohol and was going to acupuncture twice a week. On the day of transfer, I went in alone (because Sean couldn’t be there) and said a prayer, listened to my favorite song in the world, “Gypsy” by Stevie Nicks and prayed it would work. After the longest 10 days of our lives, we got the call that it worked!!! I took probably 6 pregnancy tests after that initial blood test to prove I was still pregnant. Now I am 22 weeks and have seen him (the baby) multiple times on an ultrasound and have heard his heartbeat. I could not be more thankful we continued on that path and followed my gut to give it one more go.

How do you juggle motherhood, pregnancy, being a CEO, and everything else?

This is a tough one because it is hard for me to turn off my CEO brain sometimes. I run two businesses and have a hard time letting go of control. BUT I have been able to find an awesome team who is allowing me to cut back my hours and be there for my family. It is okay to ask for help and to say “no” to certain opportunities if I don’t think they fit or align with my beliefs anymore. I take more half days and I just listen to my body. We spent a lot of time and energy to get here so I need to be sure I enjoy it as much as I can.

Follow Meghan on Instagram @megsalfonso725

And keep following the Motherhood Road Trip to hear more about Meghan & Phoenix – and our next mama in August (see you in Los Angeles!).