I think doing the ball joint would be first, then tie rod; this way you can readjust length to the measurement you already made before you started so you have a ballpark toe setting.
Sway bar should be last to re-assemble. keeps it out of the way and eliminates its effects on the other parts while you're working. The pop you felt was the sway bar end coming loose as it was still fastened on the other side, thus some tension. To put it back in, you can loosely attach the middle, do each end loosely so there's no fighting the tension, then tighten etc.