Hooking Can Be Fun

I bought Stitch 'n Bitch's Happy Hooker last year and I've been dragging my feet cracking it open to teach myself. I've been wanting to learn so I can make some cutie cute cute cute amigurumi and Interweave Crochet's Babette Blanket. I finally put down the needles, pried myself away from the next knitting project and picked up a crochet hook. I'm still learning the basics (yuck...learning new terminology) and this is my beginner swatch. I keep losing stitches. I think I figured out what I'm doing wrong. It's frustrating when I keep thinking that it shouldn't be this hard! This is supposed to be easy, right?