Guitar Progress [Introducing the E chord]

Today I learnt the E chord, which supposedly (along with the A and D) opens up a huge repertoire of songs. I also discovered that I can no longer feel the 1st string because it's so thin. I suppose it's a good thing in one way because it tells me my fingertips are hardening, but I'm still feeling my way (quite literally) around the fret board right now and I'm never quite sure if my fingers on the high E string when I play the D chord. Once I get to the stage where my fingers just go there naturally it won't matter, but for mow it's tripping me up.