The 1st-gear popout was a common thing in the '04 models, although my old '05 Limited was not immune to it. It would do it to me once in every ~200 green-lights... and it scared the crap out of me each time.

As for shifting into first while rolling, the synchros are preventing you from doing that. Since you shift out of first at 30mph, downshifting into first at 25mph would be hell on your engine. My Limited never let me shift into first unless I was below 10mph, and even then it was a rough shift.

The Crossfire's 6MT isn't known for its silky-smooth lower gear changes... just the nature of the Getrag.