Motherlode's Greatest Hits, 2012 Edition What do the readers of a blog subtitled "Adventures in Parenting" like? Relatable parents, writing about the broader questions of being a parent - but with some bling, please. We're drawn in by the outrageous and the unusual, but we stick with the essays that really focus on the big issues we all face, like helping our child succeed as an adult, getting this parenthood gig right with our children of all ages, and finding our own selves within our parent-selves. I count myself among the "we" because these are also the essays that pulled me in from the moment they appeared in my in-box: the writers that "had me at hello." So here are some of the most-read, most-commented-on and just generally most popular essays by other writers that appeared on Motherlode this year. I Regret Eating My Placenta Nancy Redd on being sucked-in by the "crunchy Santa Monica" placenta-eating hype. My Son Looks Like a Girl. So What? Catherine Newman on her beautiful, pink-haired son. Pregnant at 49 Erin Kelly on facing the unexpected, and being too old to parent a special-needs child. The Camp Counselor vs. the Intern Dan Fleshler's daughter convinces him that one more year as a camp counselor is more valuable than an internship. Why French Parents Are Superior (In One Way) Karen Le Billon is schooled in the art of feeding her children as the French do. When Sex is a Family Business Joy Imboden Overstreet's son grew up to design vibrators, a career turn that took a little getting used to. Naked, with Children Some degree of nudity is normal in Aviva Rubin's household. But how long until her two sons ask mom to cover up?