Like others have said - you should be able to turn off the flash and noises. And like BrowniesMom said - get an add-on flash (I use the SB400) so that flash isn't pointing at your subject -- rather, you bounce the flash - looks much better for color, and doesn't bug eyes as much too.
Also, do you have an Aperture Priority mode? Sometimes it's called "A" or "AP" - this allows you to open your aperture wide, and this is a great way to get blurred backgrounds.
