Like A Virgin growin 4 the very 1st time

Well it’s actually been a few weeks since I started this journey. My first two looked amazing, but after planting in the plug, things went south. They started poking up, then their whole head fell off!! I performed an autopsy on the head, and it looks like the leaves just couldn’t get free and died. So last week, I germinated 3 more seeds. One directly in the soil, two in a towel. One in the towel tapped, the other is still sitting there doin nothing. The one that tapped was planted in plug, then in cowpot and hasn’t come up yet 😞. The one I planted directly in the soil is looking good - I think. I almost lost it too though. The shell wasn’t coming off, just like the others, so I read up, and performed plant surgery. Took me 10 min because I worked VERY slow and gentle. I was able to get the helmet off, and this is day 2 of freedom for it. Does it look ok? So what am I doing wrong, why are all the shells sticking?