diff --git a/src/common/TransformEvent.ts b/src/common/TransformEvent.ts
index d19ed84..59e62a7 100644
--- a/src/common/TransformEvent.ts
+++ b/src/common/TransformEvent.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 import type { DOMRectTransformReadonly } from './DOMRectTransform';
 
+declare global {
+  interface HTMLElementEventMap {
+    transform: TransformEvent;
+  }
+}
+
 // TODO: expose previous and current rects
 export class TransformEvent extends Event {
   readonly #current: DOMRectTransformReadonly;
diff --git a/src/common/client-rect-observer.ts b/src/common/client-rect-observer.ts
index 99aafec..2518876 100644
--- a/src/common/client-rect-observer.ts
+++ b/src/common/client-rect-observer.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 export interface ClientRectObserverEntry {
   target: Element;
   contentRect: DOMRectReadOnly;
-  isAppearing: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface ClientRectObserverCallback {
@@ -112,7 +111,6 @@ export class ClientRectObserver {
       return {
         target,
         contentRect,
-        isAppearing: false,
       };
     }
 
@@ -147,7 +145,6 @@ export class ClientRectObserver {
         width,
         height,
       }),
-      isAppearing: true,
     };
   }
 
@@ -233,7 +230,7 @@ export class ClientRectObserverManager {
       this.#vo.observe(target);
       this.#elementMap.set(target, (callbacks = new Set()));
     } else {
-      callback({ target, contentRect: target.getBoundingClientRect(), isAppearing: true });
+      callback({ target, contentRect: target.getBoundingClientRect() });
     }
 
     callbacks.add(callback);
diff --git a/src/common/folk-observer.ts b/src/common/folk-observer.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e81aa39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/common/folk-observer.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import { FolkShape } from '../folk-shape';
+import { ClientRectObserver, ClientRectObserverEntry } from './client-rect-observer';
+import { TransformEvent } from './TransformEvent';
+
+export type ClientRectObserverEntryCallback = (entry: ClientRectObserverEntry) => void;
+
+export class FolkObserver {
+  static #instance: FolkObserver | null = null;
+
+  // singleton so we only observe elements once
+  constructor() {
+    if (FolkObserver.#instance === null) {
+      FolkObserver.#instance = this;
+    }
+    return FolkObserver.#instance;
+  }
+
+  #elementMap = new WeakMap<Element, Set<ClientRectObserverEntryCallback>>();
+
+  #vo = new ClientRectObserver((entries) => {
+    for (const entry of entries) {
+      this.#updateTarget(entry);
+    }
+  });
+
+  #updateTarget(entry: ClientRectObserverEntry) {
+    const callbacks = this.#elementMap.get(entry.target);
+
+    if (callbacks) {
+      callbacks.forEach((callback) => callback(entry));
+    }
+  }
+
+  #onTransform = (event: TransformEvent) => {
+    this.#updateTarget({ target: event.target as HTMLElement, contentRect: event.current });
+  };
+
+  observe(target: Element, callback: ClientRectObserverEntryCallback): void {
+    let callbacks = this.#elementMap.get(target);
+
+    const isFolkShape = target instanceof FolkShape;
+
+    if (callbacks === undefined) {
+      this.#elementMap.set(target, (callbacks = new Set()));
+
+      if (isFolkShape) {
+        target.addEventListener('transform', this.#onTransform);
+        callback({ target, contentRect: target.getTransformDOMRect() });
+      } else {
+        this.#vo.observe(target);
+      }
+    } else {
+      const contentRect = isFolkShape ? target.getTransformDOMRect() : target.getBoundingClientRect();
+      callback({ target, contentRect });
+    }
+
+    callbacks.add(callback);
+  }
+
+  unobserve(target: Element, callback: ClientRectObserverEntryCallback): void {
+    let callbacks = this.#elementMap.get(target);
+
+    if (callbacks === undefined) return;
+
+    callbacks.delete(callback);
+
+    if (callbacks.size === 0) {
+      if (target instanceof FolkShape) {
+        target.removeEventListener('transform', this.#onTransform);
+      } else {
+        this.#vo.unobserve(target);
+      }
+      this.#elementMap.delete(target);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export function parseCSSSelector(selector: string): string[] {
+  return selector.split('>>>').map((s) => s.trim());
+}
diff --git a/src/folk-base-connection.ts b/src/folk-base-connection.ts
index c741672..cb8aa3e 100644
--- a/src/folk-base-connection.ts
+++ b/src/folk-base-connection.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,9 @@
 import { FolkShape } from './folk-shape.ts';
 import { parseVertex } from './common/utils.ts';
-import { ClientRectObserverEntry, ClientRectObserverManager } from './common/client-rect-observer.ts';
+import { ClientRectObserverEntry } from './common/client-rect-observer.ts';
+import { FolkObserver } from './common/folk-observer.ts';
 
-const clientRectObserver = new ClientRectObserverManager();
-
-function parseCSSSelector(selector: string): string[] {
-  return selector.split('>>>').map((s) => s.trim());
-}
+const folkObserver = new FolkObserver();
 
 export class FolkBaseConnection extends HTMLElement {
   static tagName = '';
@@ -44,55 +41,6 @@ export class FolkBaseConnection extends HTMLElement {
     this.#update();
   };
 
-  #sourceHandler = (e: Event) => {
-    const geometry = e.target as FolkShape;
-    this.#sourceRect = geometry.getTransformDOMRect();
-    this.#update();
-  };
-
-  #sourceIframeSelector = '';
-  #sourceIframeRect = DOMRectReadOnly.fromRect();
-  #sourceIframeChildRect = DOMRectReadOnly.fromRect();
-
-  #sourcePostMessage = (event: MessageEvent) => {
-    const iframe = this.#sourceElement as HTMLIFrameElement;
-
-    if (event.source !== iframe.contentWindow) return;
-
-    switch (event.data.type) {
-      case 'folk-iframe-ready': {
-        event.source?.postMessage({
-          type: 'folk-observe-element',
-          selector: this.#sourceIframeSelector,
-        });
-        return;
-      }
-      case 'folk-element-change': {
-        if (this.#sourceIframeSelector === event.data.selector) {
-          this.#sourceIframeChildRect = event.data.boundingBox;
-          this.#updateSourceIframeRect();
-        }
-        return;
-      }
-    }
-  };
-
-  #sourceIframeCallback = (entry: ClientRectObserverEntry) => {
-    this.#sourceIframeRect = entry.contentRect;
-    this.#updateSourceIframeRect();
-  };
-
-  #updateSourceIframeRect() {
-    this.#sourceRect = DOMRectReadOnly.fromRect({
-      x: this.#sourceIframeRect.x + this.#sourceIframeChildRect.x,
-      y: this.#sourceIframeRect.y + this.#sourceIframeChildRect.y,
-      height: this.#sourceIframeChildRect.height,
-      width: this.#sourceIframeChildRect.width,
-    });
-
-    this.#update();
-  }
-
   #target = '';
   /** A CSS selector for the target of the arrow. */
   get target() {
@@ -118,55 +66,6 @@ export class FolkBaseConnection extends HTMLElement {
     this.#update();
   };
 
-  #targetHandler = (e: Event) => {
-    const geometry = e.target as FolkShape;
-    this.#targetRect = geometry.getTransformDOMRect();
-    this.#update();
-  };
-
-  #targetIframeSelector = '';
-  #targetIframeRect = DOMRectReadOnly.fromRect();
-  #targetIframeChildRect = DOMRectReadOnly.fromRect();
-
-  #targetPostMessage = (event: MessageEvent) => {
-    const iframe = this.#targetElement as HTMLIFrameElement;
-
-    if (event.source !== iframe.contentWindow) return;
-
-    switch (event.data.type) {
-      case 'folk-iframe-ready': {
-        event.source?.postMessage({
-          type: 'folk-observe-element',
-          selector: this.#targetIframeSelector,
-        });
-        return;
-      }
-      case 'folk-element-change': {
-        if (this.#targetIframeSelector === event.data.selector) {
-          this.#targetIframeChildRect = event.data.boundingBox;
-          this.#updateTargetIframeRect();
-        }
-        return;
-      }
-    }
-  };
-
-  #targetIframeCallback = (entry: ClientRectObserverEntry) => {
-    this.#targetIframeRect = entry.contentRect;
-    this.#updateTargetIframeRect();
-  };
-
-  #updateTargetIframeRect() {
-    this.#targetRect = DOMRectReadOnly.fromRect({
-      x: this.#targetIframeRect.x + this.#targetIframeChildRect.x,
-      y: this.#targetIframeRect.y + this.#targetIframeChildRect.y,
-      height: this.#targetIframeChildRect.height,
-      width: this.#targetIframeChildRect.width,
-    });
-
-    this.#update();
-  }
-
   connectedCallback() {
     this.source = this.getAttribute('source') || this.#source;
     this.target = this.getAttribute('target') || this.#target;
@@ -186,49 +85,20 @@ export class FolkBaseConnection extends HTMLElement {
       this.#sourceRect = DOMRectReadOnly.fromRect(vertex);
       this.#update();
     } else {
-      const [selector, iframeSelector] = parseCSSSelector(this.#source);
-      this.#sourceIframeSelector = iframeSelector;
-      this.#sourceElement = document.querySelector(selector);
+      this.#sourceElement = document.querySelector(this.source);
 
       if (this.#sourceElement === null) {
         throw new Error('source is not a valid element');
-      } else if (this.#sourceElement instanceof FolkShape) {
-        this.#sourceElement.addEventListener('transform', this.#sourceHandler);
-
-        this.#sourceRect = this.#sourceElement.getTransformDOMRect();
-
-        this.#update();
-      } else if (this.#sourceElement instanceof HTMLIFrameElement && this.#sourceIframeSelector) {
-        window.addEventListener('message', this.#sourcePostMessage);
-
-        clientRectObserver.observe(this.#sourceElement, this.#sourceIframeCallback);
-
-        this.#sourceElement.contentWindow?.postMessage({
-          type: 'folk-observe-element',
-          selector: this.#sourceIframeSelector,
-        });
-      } else {
-        clientRectObserver.observe(this.#sourceElement, this.#sourceCallback);
-        this.#sourceRect = this.#sourceElement.getBoundingClientRect();
       }
+
+      folkObserver.observe(this.#sourceElement, this.#sourceCallback);
     }
   }
 
   unobserveSource() {
     if (this.#sourceElement === null) return;
 
-    if (this.#sourceElement instanceof FolkShape) {
-      this.#sourceElement.removeEventListener('transform', this.#sourceHandler);
-    } else if (this.#sourceElement instanceof HTMLIFrameElement && this.#sourceIframeSelector) {
-      window.removeEventListener('message', this.#sourcePostMessage);
-      clientRectObserver.unobserve(this.#sourceElement, this.#sourceIframeCallback);
-      this.#sourceElement.contentWindow?.postMessage({
-        type: 'folk-unobserve-element',
-        selector: this.#sourceIframeSelector,
-      });
-    } else {
-      clientRectObserver.unobserve(this.#sourceElement, this.#sourceCallback);
-    }
+    folkObserver.unobserve(this.#sourceElement, this.#sourceCallback);
   }
 
   observeTarget() {
@@ -240,45 +110,19 @@ export class FolkBaseConnection extends HTMLElement {
       this.#targetRect = DOMRectReadOnly.fromRect(vertex);
       this.#update();
     } else {
-      const [selector, iframeSelector] = parseCSSSelector(this.#target);
-      this.#targetIframeSelector = iframeSelector;
-      this.#targetElement = document.querySelector(selector);
+      this.#targetElement = document.querySelector(this.#target);
 
       if (!this.#targetElement) {
         throw new Error('target is not a valid element');
-      } else if (this.#targetElement instanceof FolkShape) {
-        this.#targetElement.addEventListener('transform', this.#targetHandler);
-        this.#targetRect = this.#targetElement.getTransformDOMRect();
-        this.#update();
-      } else if (this.#targetElement instanceof HTMLIFrameElement && this.#targetIframeSelector) {
-        window.addEventListener('message', this.#targetPostMessage);
-        clientRectObserver.observe(this.#targetElement, this.#targetIframeCallback);
-        this.#targetElement.contentWindow?.postMessage({
-          type: 'folk-observe-element',
-          selector: this.#targetIframeSelector,
-        });
-      } else {
-        clientRectObserver.observe(this.#targetElement, this.#targetCallback);
-        this.#targetRect = this.#targetElement.getBoundingClientRect();
       }
+
+      folkObserver.observe(this.#targetElement, this.#targetCallback);
     }
   }
 
   unobserveTarget() {
     if (this.#targetElement === null) return;
-
-    if (this.#targetElement instanceof FolkShape) {
-      this.#targetElement.removeEventListener('transform', this.#targetHandler);
-    } else if (this.#targetElement instanceof HTMLIFrameElement && this.#targetIframeSelector) {
-      window.removeEventListener('message', this.#targetPostMessage);
-      clientRectObserver.unobserve(this.#targetElement, this.#targetIframeCallback);
-      this.#targetElement.contentWindow?.postMessage({
-        type: 'folk-unobserve-element',
-        selector: this.#targetIframeSelector,
-      });
-    } else {
-      clientRectObserver.unobserve(this.#targetElement, this.#targetCallback);
-    }
+    folkObserver.unobserve(this.#targetElement, this.#targetCallback);
   }
 
   #update() {
diff --git a/src/folk-base-set.ts b/src/folk-base-set.ts
index 1a42a86..186f19d 100644
--- a/src/folk-base-set.ts
+++ b/src/folk-base-set.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import { ClientRectObserverEntry, ClientRectObserverManager } from './common/client-rect-observer.ts';
+import { ClientRectObserverEntry } from './common/client-rect-observer.ts';
+import { FolkObserver } from './common/folk-observer.ts';
 
-const clientRectObserver = new ClientRectObserverManager();
+const folkObserver = new FolkObserver();
 
 const defaultRect = DOMRectReadOnly.fromRect();
 
@@ -57,8 +58,7 @@ export class FolkBaseSet extends HTMLElement {
     this.unobserveSources(elementsToUnobserve);
 
     for (const el of elementsToObserve) {
-      this.#sourcesMap.set(el, defaultRect);
-      clientRectObserver.observe(el, this.#sourcesCallback);
+      folkObserver.observe(el, this.#sourcesCallback);
     }
 
     this.update();
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export class FolkBaseSet extends HTMLElement {
 
   unobserveSources(elements: Iterable<Element> = this.#sourcesMap.keys()) {
     for (const el of elements) {
-      clientRectObserver.unobserve(el, this.#sourcesCallback);
+      folkObserver.unobserve(el, this.#sourcesCallback);
       this.#sourcesMap.delete(el);
     }
   }