Dog,
I am so excited for you both. I still can't believe how much better diving dry is and how much more I dive because of it. I have used it in pretty warm water with total comfort as well, just buy adjusting my insulation layer. In my opinion anything that requires more than a 3mm wetsuit, means dive it dry. I think you will be just as spoiled as soon as you get a few dives in with them.
There is a little learning curve with them, so take it easy for the first few dives. Be aware of the amount of air inside your suit at all times, but especially when changing depth!
As far as Willow, let me know as soon as you are ready! What are you doing this weekend? Want to freeze your nuts off?