Hi Joe;
I wanted to take a shot at this because no one else was responding. Everything you are feeling is perfectly normal. You will be at times over the next 6-8 months feeling a lot of anxiety and anticipation. I am at 8 months now (Dr Cooley, 3,288 grafts) and have never been happier with my decision and the results. Most will tell you that the growing and maturization will continue up to 12 to 18 months.
The recipient area will get much thinner until it gets thicker again. That is the anxiety part. It really started growing for me around 4 months but it is different for everyone, I had a lot of shock loss. The soreness should subside pretty much after about 3 or 4 weeks.
I don't know about the Aloe Vera moisturizer but it sounds okay, you should probably consult with your HT physician. I used Emu Oil as a moisturizer but mainly to keep the Follicle Solution Therapy Spray in my hair so it didn't evaporate away. That is sort of a conditioner that I used because I felt it was being helpful. Probably not though, I spoke to the doctors assistant and she said that no matter what you put in your hair it doesn't really matter. It is an individual thing and everyone will grow at their own pace.
I hope this helps a little. I'll leave you with one thing Doctor Cooley told me (I don't think he'll mind) "The more you look at it the slower it grows".
Just try to eliminate all stress from your life right now, I know easier said than done. Happy Growing!