As I plug along on my blog like The Little Engine That Could, I often reflect on what I an do a little bit better or smarter. For inspiration, I have often found myself looking to the top mom bloggers, as I am sure we all have at one point or another. It is only natural to look to those with experience and success for guidance or ideas. While reflecting on these women, I ran across a reoccurring list of qualities that each of them have. Below is a list of five qualities I have seen in the top mom bloggers and feel are essential in moving up the rungs of the virtual blogging ladder.

1. Grande Cojones

Yes, that is just a slightly disguised way of saying big balls. You know what I am talking about. Any woman who is tough enough to make it to the top in a world of PMSing females is likely apologetically outspoken. They say what they want and make it quite clear where they stand. They don't cower in fear wondering what people will say or think. They just do it and let the chips fall where they may.

This is the hardest quality for me to grasp, because I have always been fearful of what others will think of me. In recent years I have grown a tiny pair of ball-ets though, and hopefully one day I can be free to say what I want without second guessing myself too.

2. A Supernatural Ability

Okay, maybe not supernatural, but most women heading up the ranks of top mom bloggers have some sort of special skill. Whether it be crafting, comedic ability, web design or even photography, there is usually something that they excel at and this helps them gain a loyal following.

Take the Pioneer Woman for example. Her photography is beautiful and her informative posts in this niche have definitely played a part in her success. For those of you who feel like you have no special skill, relax. Your special skill could be something as simple as having a knack for navigating Twitter or drawing out a response from your readers, it doesn't have to be something grand like juggling live piranhas.

3. A Knack for Pimping Their Blog

Whether it was gained from an educational degree or simply an innate skill that they were born with, top mommy bloggers have a keen business sense. It may not even be outwardly apparent and some may even try to disguise it, but rest assured it is there. It takes knowledge of networking, PR and so much more to gain a following of that size and these ladies are smart cookies!

Look at Megan Calhoun from Social Moms, she turned Twitter into a money making venture and runs a very successful blog networking group. The good news is, that this is a skill that any woman can learn through hard work and application.

4. A Little of This and a Little of That

Versatility is not necessarily a must have quality in the top mom bloggers, but many of them have it. The ability to be versatile and branch out into a variety of different niches keeps your readers involved and allows you to continue to grow a new and expanding readership year after year.

One of the most versatile women I know is Trisha from MomDot. She has blown through a variety of niches in just the last year alone. She has also seen success and steady numbers in each of those niches.

5. Heart

The last quality that I feel is important in each of the top mom bloggers I have observed is heart. This is perhaps the most important of the qualities in my opinion, because your readership is only going to continue to care for you if you show that you also care for them. It is through heart that you stay connected and grounded to your readers and keep them from becoming nothing more than a number to you.

I can think of no better example of heart in a top blogger, than that of the Bloggess this past Christmas. What started out as her offering a few gift cards that were purchased with her own money to families in need, turned into an enormous outpouring of love and kindness that she coordinated herself to help over 500 people. That is why we do what we do day after day isn't it? To help others and have a chance to have our voice heard and shared.

In the end, it doesn't matter whether you have all of these qualities or only a few. Anyone can become a top mom blogger! It takes years, it takes hard work and most of all, it takes dedication, drive and heart. If blogging is your dream and your passion though, it shouldn't matter how many readers you have or how much money you make, it should be about doing something you love and having fun with it!

What qualities have you noticed in the top mom bloggers that you admire? Read about the latest trends in mom blogs from my friend Heather.