Win a “Bump in the Oven” Tank Top!

(This giveaway is now closed.)

Here's how to enter . . .

1. Visit www.bumpbabies.com.
2. Come back here and leave a comment telling us your favorite product.
3. Be sure to leave your e-mail if you don't have a blogger ID.  Bloggers- you must have a public profile and listed e-mail for us to find you.

Who wants extra entries?!
(Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  Current subscribers, you can use these extra entries too, since we’re so happy to have you here!)

4. Sign up for our Mommy's Idea feed or e-mail feed. (Over to the right.)
5. Become a follower of Mommy's Idea.
6. Blog about and link to this giveaway. Please leave your blog url in your comment.
7. Stumble this post or www.mommysidea.com.
8. Add our Mommy’s Idea button and/or Ellie Bags button to your site.
9. Tweet about this giveaway.

Open to residents of US.
Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, January 28, 2009.

Meet Renae of [Bump] Babies

Tell us a little about you . . .

Renae Plant was born on March 13, 1971, in Eumundi, a small, rural town in Queensland, Australia. Her mum, proclaimed, "There's no way I'm going to lie on my back and push against gravity for hours--that doesn't make any bloody sense to me." Her mum gave birth to Renae on all fours in a mere 20 minutes (yes, you can hate her.)
Eighteen months later, Renae's brother was born their sister followed 10 years after that and was jokingly nicknamed "The Afterthought." Their father often rescued sick or injured wildlife and nursed them back to health at home. Occasionally, in an attempt to educate his offspring, he'd hold up an extremely venomous snake saying, "Kids, if you ever see this snake, don't go near it. It'll kill ya!"
Helping to care for her siblings and all of the other wild creatures in her home, Renae discovered her maternal instincts. Though she treasured her time cuddling koalas, caring for kangaroos and playing with possums, she always knew she wanted to go out into the world and explore.
Before she could do so, Renae was diagnosed with cervical cancer and at the age of 18, underwent laser surgery to remove the cancerous cells. Undaunted by this life-threatening challenge, Renae worked hard to follow her passion for creative expression.
In 1994, Renae moved to New York City to pursue a modeling and acting career, but found that living on a diet of carrots and coffee just wasn't cutting it. It was during this time she developed her own sense of style and nurtured her knack of turning junk into artistic creations. In the urban jungle, Renae often rescued discarded items left out on the city sidewalks, recycled and transformed them into treasures. She turned an old TV set into a fish tank, bird cages into lamps, doors into tables and windows into mirrors. Her one-of-a-kind, handmade pillows were sold at the prestigious ABC Carpet and Home, the largest single retailer of floor coverings and home furnishings in the world.
In 2000, Renae planted herself in Los Angeles and in 2002 with the help of her best friend opened her own talent management company, Nebula Management: "the birthplace of hot new stars" (www.nebulamanagement.com.). Working with both new and experienced talent, Renae used her years of first-hand experience to help her clients navigate the difficult path to showbiz success.
With her biological clock ticking and Mr. Right nowhere in sight, Renae decided to donate her eggs to help infertile couples. During one of the egg retrievals, a doctor commented on her cancer surgery, "Your uterus looks like it has been run over by a truck. You'll be lucky to have kids of your own!" The doctor's prognosis was insignificant compared to how she felt when reading a card sent from the couple after their twins were born. The father wrote: "I never thought I'd see the day when my wife would become a mother."
After a few false starts, Renae finally met the man of her dreams in Amsterdam. In 2003 he moved from his native Spain to be with her and when he did, sparks flew. After their wedding in Cuba, the couple quickly proved the egg-retrieval doctor wrong when they returned home pregnant.
Renae was incredibly excited about her [bump], but like most moms-to-be, she was concerned that most people just thought she was letting herself go. She wanted to scream, "I'm not fat--[bump] on board!"
Disappointed to find that nothing catered to the first four to five months of pregnancy before the [bump] finally "pops," Renae decided to create and wear her own maternity designs on her growing belly that reflected her sense of style and humor. That's when [bump] was born!
Renae's [bump] designs quickly garnered such an amazing response from friends and strangers alike that she realized she was onto something good. Pregnant again within a year of her first child's birth, Renae refined and expanded her [bump] line and for the next several months, the world at large became her focus group.
Currently, Renae juggles two young children, her husband and soul mate, her talent management company and [bump]. Oh, and she and her husband are expecting [bump]³!

What is your business and where can we find it?

[bump] babies Inc started the day I found out I was pregnant.   It's a feeling that every first-time mum can relate to. There was a transition time in the first trimester when no one could tell if I was pregnant or if I lost my gym membership and was binging on ice cream & chocolate!   I wanted to scream “I’m not fat...[bump] on board!” to everyone that stared at my changing body.  Little did I know it takes at least 4 to 5 months until the [bump] finally pops and people could actually tell I had a “[bump] in the oven”.

I could not find any hip maternity clothes that catered for that awkward, yet exciting time so I decided to proudly show the whole world my [bump] by wearing it on my expanding belly so there was definitely no confusion.   I am excited to share my [bump] designs which are fun, sexy, stylish, comfortable and simply [bump]alicious with other proud expecting mamas & papas.

www.bumpbabies.com

Is it mom-owned, invented, created . . .? yes all three

A little about your entrepreneur journey so far?

I started selling my tees and within a year my line was carried in over 250 retail stores worldwide…I was shocked at the response but excited about the journey of getting it there. We have been featured in national magazines and tv specials as well as a great celebrity following.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Have fun doing what you love and live each moment in the now.. Never give up…follow your passion.