Conversation all gone dry

My skills in this area were never the best but now they seem to have deserted me. Probably something to do with spending all my time in the company of a person who's verbal output consists of a parroting of animal noises. I say 'baa' he says 'baa'. My Dad claims he said 'out' the other day but he hasn't repeated it. Any suggestions for conversational enhancement accepted.
Ryan, said boy, is now one and is content to get about on all fours, especially with knees up bum in air. He's in no hurry to walk unaided, which is fine by me. He's fast enough already. And he's usually a very happy smiling companion.