$(function() { var $el, leftPos, newWidth, $mainNav = $("#sea"); $mainNav.append("<li id='wave'></li>"); var $magicLine = $("#wave"); $magicLine .width($(".current_page_item").width()) .css("left", $(".current_page_item a").position().left) .data("origLeft", $magicLine.position().left) .data("origWidth", $magicLine.width()); $("#sea li a").hover(function() { $el = $(this); leftPos = $el.position().left; newWidth = $el.parent().width(); $magicLine.stop().animate({ left: leftPos, width: newWidth }); }, function() { $magicLine.stop().animate({ left: $magicLine.data("origLeft"), width: $magicLine.data("origWidth") }); }); });