Hither and Thither isn’t just a mom blog, it’s a mom and dad blog! Ashley Muir Bruhn and her husband Aron write this lifestyle and travel blog that document their NYC adventures and vacations near and far. “Hither and Thither is really about seeing life as an adventure,” says Bruhn, a freelance writer and editor. And within the last year, they’ve been on the biggest adventure of their lives with the addition of their son, Hudson. Whether it’s a great meal they ate, a trip to St. Lucia, or a sweet picture of Hudson smiling, we’re happy the Bruhns decide to share their journeys—big and small—with us.
What inspired you to start your site?
My husband and I started it together to record of our newlywed life in New York. Those first six months after moving across the country were a whirlwind. For about a year, I wrote a separate family blog called Baby Mine where I documented my pregnancy and having a new baby. However, it felt arbitrary (and impossible!) to separate baby-related topics from the rest of our lives.
What have you unexpectedly gained by writing Hither and Thither?
The relationships it has created. I’ve met so many like-minded women and have forged some lasting friendships thanks to my blog.
Who are the mom bloggers you have bookmarked?
To name a few: Cup of Jo, Abbey Goes Design Scouting, Marvelous Kiddo, Simple Lovely, NYC Taught Me, Bunny & Dolly, Coos & Aahs, and The Daily Muse. Natalie Holbrook, of Nat the Fat Rat, has a completely endearing tone and is refreshingly honest. I also routinely read Momfilter.
So far, what’s your favorite thing about being a mom?
Seeing Hudson laugh. It’s just so pure.
When do you find time to write, especially with a baby?
It’s not easy. Until his sleep pattern really became predictable around six or seven months, I would try to stock up on posts over the weekend when my husband was home. But now that he’s napping routinely and sleeping through the night, I fit it in as best I can during those times. Still, it’s an ongoing challenge. If it seems like a chore, I give myself a pass for the day and try not to feel guilty.
What are some of your best travel tips with a small child?
I find it easiest when the baby is sleeping, so I might choose an evening flight. But before we got to that point? I would have been so worried about waking the other passengers who were also trying to sleep that the stress of his not sleeping would have been double! So my tip would be to anticipate how you’re going to feel in a worst-case scenario. (And then relax and feel elated when you actually end up sipping a glass of wine!)
What about baby gear?
I don’t know what we would do without a baby carrier. Slings are nice when the baby is very small (and the sling’s tail makes a good nursing cover on the plane), but we use an Ergo now that Hudson is bigger. On our last flight, we put up the hood and he slept soundly against my husband. And then we watched that movie!
Where are you excited about taking Hudson in the future and why?
We had such a good time in Vermont one summer—picking blueberries, swimming in ponds, eating ice cream—when Hudson is a little older, I’d love to take a trip like that around the Northeast with him. I’m also looking forward to more far-flung destinations. This August we’ll spend a month in Bali and one day I hope we can return to India and see more of that beautiful, fragrant place. Of course, that’s not to say that I’m not also excited to take him to places like Disneyland to see his eyes widen while singing with pirates.