title: how do i move inputs in a div, but using background-coloring extend the divs selection box around the object in css
body: <p>I have a <strong>div</strong> which contains some input.  The contents of the divs are variable, but checking with background-color, how do i extend the height and width of the surrounding div to envelop the inputs.</p>
  
  <p>I have my sample at:  <a href="http://jsfiddle.net/fallenreaper/pL6Ua/" rel="nofollow">http://jsfiddle.net/fallenreaper/pL6Ua/</a></p>
  
  <p>The goal is that if the widths adjust, then all the boxes will shift down.</p>
  
  <p>I tried things like:  </p>
  
  <pre><code>position: relative;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>but it doesnt quite wrap the surrounding div.  What am i missing?</p>
  
  <p><strong>Edit:</strong>
  The javascript is for an expanding tool i am working on.  The item which is being shown on the screen is: </p>
  
  <pre><code>$alt_item
  </code></pre>
  
  <p><strong>Edit2:</strong>  The content of the divs are dynamic, so i need to be able to push everything down to accomidate.  Essentially, it seems like it should look something like: if you set the *$("#dtr_list > div")* height to 80px.</p>
  
  <p>I was thinking to do it with Javascript as an option, find the greatest (height + top) of all children, and then set the height = to that.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Edit3:</strong></p>
  
  <pre><code>var maxH = 0;
  $($("#dtr_list &gt; div")[0]).children().each(function(){
      $("#altdata").append("Top: "+$(this).position().top + " Height: "+ $(this).height()+ "&lt;br /&gt;");
      if(($(this).position().top + $(this).height()- $(this).parent().position().top+5) &gt; maxH)
      {
          maxH = $(this).position().top + $(this).height() - $(this).parent().position().top + 5;
      }
  });
  $("#altdata").append("maxH: "+maxH);
  $("#dtr_list &gt; div").css("height", maxH);
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This javascript will resolve it, but i don't like that i needed to do it programmatically.  That <em>+5</em> i added was because of the margin but you can replace +5 as a hardcoded number to something like:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Number($(this).parent().css("margin").match(/^\d/))
  </code></pre>