Photoshop Frustrations

I was recently working on baby announcements, trying my hand at Photoshop. I wanted to outline one picture of my sweet little girl and use a background from a different shot. So, I was trying all the tools for outlining but it was possible the most frustrating thing I have ever done with a computer. I sew. I knit. I type on the computer seemingly all day long. So maneuvering a mouse along a few edges should have come easily. But, no. So I asked my friend who works in graphic design in Ann Arbor what I was doing wrong. She said probably nothing. It just takes practice. Then she told me there is a pen tool that you “write” with on a special mouse pad that allows you to draw around your photos with more ease. I am SO going to get that thing!!