Update:

Elliot is getting more and more vocal, if not verbal. Right now he's sitting behind me playing with blocks - putting together, taking apart - singing a little song. Yesterday he was dumping them out and swimming in them. Yeah. Messy, but cute.

Most of his play lately is accompanied by sound, but he hums rather than speaking. He has quite a range of sounds, but all are with a closed mouth. I just don't know how hard to try to make him talk, or what to do to encourage it.

For now, we go with repeating names of things and asking him what they are, hoping he'll crack and use a word more than once. So far, not happening.