JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<script src="https://jquery-elastic.googlecode.com/svn-history/r30/trunk/jquery.elastic.source.js"></script>
<div id="maintbox">
    <div class="chat">
        <div class="preview"></div>
        <textarea name="comment" rows="2" tabindex="4" id="comment" placeholder="Type here..."></textarea>
    </div>
    <div align="right">
        <img src="https://cdn3.iconfinder.com/data/icons/fez/512/FEZ-05-128.png" width="25" alt="" id="uploadMedia" style="padding:2px;cursor:pointer;" />
        <div class="em">
            <img src="http://simpleicon.com/wp-content/uploads/big-smile-256x256.png" width="25" id="showhide_emobox" />
            <div id="emobox">
                <img src="http://www.html5gamedevs.com/public/style_emoticons/default/wacko.png" alt=":)" class="embtn" />
                <img src="http://www.html5gamedevs.com/public/style_emoticons/default/wacko.png" alt=":-)" class="embtn" />
                <img src="http://www.html5gamedevs.com/public/style_emoticons/default/wacko.png" alt=":D" class="embtn" />
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>

CSS

#maintbox {
    position:relative;
    border: 2px solid #ccc;
    min-height: 50px;
    width: 450;
    top:100px;
}
div.chat {
    width: 100%;
}
.preview {
    max-width: 400px;
    font-family:Times New Roman, Times, serif;
    font-size:14px;
    color:#000000;
    position:absolute;
    top:0;
    left:0;
    z-index:997;
}
div.chat > textarea {
    font-family:Times New Roman, Times, serif;
    font-size:14px;
    margin-left:-2px;
    margin-top:-2px;
    margin-bottom:2px;
    min-height: 50px;
    width: 510px;
    resize:none;
    float:left;
    position:absolute;
    color:transparent;
    top:0;
    left:0;
    z-index:998;
    background: transparent;
}
.em {
    position:relative;
    margin:1px 2px;
    float:right;
    height:20px;
    width:20px;
    text-align:center;
}
.em img {
    margin-top:1px;
    cursor:pointer;
    color:white;
    display:block;
    transition:all 1s ease;
}
#emobox {
    background:#fff;
    display:none;
    position:absolute;
    width:200px;
    bottom:25px;
    left:-176px;
    border: 2px solid #ccc;
    white-space:nowrap;
}
#emobox img {
    float:left;
    position:relative;
    display:inline-block;
    margin:5px 5px;
}

JavaScript

var smileys = {
    ':)': '<img src="http://www.html5gamedevs.com/public/style_emoticons/default/wacko.png" border="0" alt="" />',
        ':-)': '<img src="http://www.html5gamedevs.com/public/style_emoticons/default/wacko.png" border="0" alt="" />',
        ':D': '<img src="http://www.html5gamedevs.com/public/style_emoticons/default/wacko.png" border="0" alt="" />',
};
function escapeRegExp(str) {
  return str.replace(/[\-\[\]\/\{\}\(\)\*\+\?\.\\\^\$\|]/g, "\\$&");
}
function smilyMe(msg) {
    msg = msg.replace(/(?:\r\n|\r|\n)/g, '<br />');
    for (var key in smileys) {
        msg = msg.replace(new RegExp(escapeRegExp(key), "g"), smileys[key]);
    }
    return msg;
}
$(document).ready(function () {
    $(".chat > textarea").bind("keyup", function (e) {
        $(".chat > div").html(smilyMe($(".chat > textarea").val()));
    });
    $('#maintbox').on('keyup', function () {
        $(this).css('height', 'auto');
        $(this).css('height', Math.max(this.scrollHeight) + 'px');
    });
    $('#showhide_emobox').click(function () {
        $('#emobox').fadeToggle();
        $(this).toggleClass('active');
    });
    $(".embtn").click(function (event) {
        var prevMsg = $(".chat > textarea").val();
        var emotiText = $(event.target).attr("alt");
        $(".chat > textarea").html(prevMsg + emotiText);
    });
    $('textarea').elastic();
});