My first looked like Orson Welles, but then eventually looked like me from about 3 months, and then when my daughter was born, she didn't look like either parent, but was the spitting image of her brother.

Definitely reckon avoiding routine is the best way to get sleep. My two are 2 and 4 now and we just do whatever we would normally do, so they are happy sleeping at friends houses, at 8 or 11pm, chinese takeaway or pasta - very laid back indeed.

So utterly utterly rewarding (caveat - I haven't been parent of a teenager yet)