diff --git a/pickadate/pickadate-tests.ts b/pickadate/pickadate-tests.ts
index ac48a9856..884dc5438 100644
--- a/pickadate/pickadate-tests.ts
+++ b/pickadate/pickadate-tests.ts
@@ -150,10 +150,13 @@ datePickerInput.pickadate({
     }
 });
 
-var datePickerApi = <Pickadate.Api> datePickerInput.pickadate('picker');
+var datePickerApi = datePickerInput.pickadate('picker');
 
 datePickerInput.pickadate('open');
 datePickerInput.pickadate('get', 'value');
+datePickerInput.pickadate('$node').show();
+datePickerInput.pickadate('$root').show();
+datePickerInput.pickadate('_hidden').show();
 
 testApiMethods(datePickerApi);
 
@@ -234,10 +237,13 @@ timePickerInput.pickatime({
     }
 });
 
-var timePickerApi = <Pickadate.Api> timePickerInput.pickatime('picker');
+var timePickerApi = timePickerInput.pickatime('picker');
 
 timePickerInput.pickatime('open');
 timePickerInput.pickatime('get', 'value');
+timePickerInput.pickatime('$node').show();
+timePickerInput.pickatime('$root').show();
+timePickerInput.pickatime('_hidden').show();
 
 testApiMethods(timePickerApi);
 
diff --git a/pickadate/pickadate.d.ts b/pickadate/pickadate.d.ts
index 093b3c8bd..6746039a0 100644
--- a/pickadate/pickadate.d.ts
+++ b/pickadate/pickadate.d.ts
@@ -289,29 +289,43 @@ declare module Pickadate {
 
 interface JQuery {
     /**
-    * Initialize a date picker.
-    */
-    pickadate(options?: Pickadate.DateOptions): any;
+     * Access the API object after initialization.
+     */
+    pickadate(keyword: "picker"): Pickadate.Api;
+    pickadate(objectName: "$node"): JQuery;
+    pickadate(objectName: "$root"): JQuery;
+    pickadate(objectName: "_hidden"): JQuery;
 
     /**
-    * Access objects attached to the picker or invoke API methods after initialization.
-    * If keyword is "picker", this returns a PickadateApi.
-    * @param keyword "picker", an object name, or method name
-    * @param arguments any arguments to pass to the method
-    */
-    pickadate(keyword: string, ...arguments: any[]): any;
+     * Invoke API methods after picker initialization.
+     * @param methodName
+     * @param arguments any arguments to pass to the method
+     */
+    pickadate(methodName: string, ...arguments: any[]): any;
 
     /**
-    * Initialize a time picker.
-    */
-    pickatime(options?: Pickadate.TimeOptions): any;
+     * Initialize a date picker.
+     * @returns the original JQuery selection
+     */
+    pickadate(options?: Pickadate.DateOptions): JQuery;
+
+
+    pickatime(keyword: "picker"): Pickadate.Api;
+    pickatime(objectName: "$node"): JQuery;
+    pickatime(objectName: "$root"): JQuery;
+    pickatime(objectName: "_hidden"): JQuery;
 
     /**
-    * Access objects attached to the picker or invoke API methods after initialization.
-    * If keyword is "picker", this returns a PickadateApi.
-    * @param keyword "picker", an object name, or method name
-    * @param arguments any arguments to pass to the method
-    */
-    pickatime(keyword: string, ...arguments: any[]): any;
+     * Invoke API methods after picker initialization.
+     * @param methodName
+     * @param arguments any arguments to pass to the method
+     */
+    pickatime(methodName: string, ...arguments: any[]): any;
+
+    /**
+     * Initialize a time picker.
+     * @returns the original JQuery selection
+     */
+    pickatime(options?: Pickadate.TimeOptions): JQuery;
 }