Genes encode a ton of behaviors, you can't just ignore that. Tabula rasa doesn't exist among humans.

> If you go back to the beginning of our experiences, there is little identity, consciousness, or ability to reason.

That is because babies brains aren't properly developed. There is nothing preventing a fully conscious being from being born, you see that among animals etc. A newborn foal is a fully functional animal for example. Genes encode the ability to move around, identify objects, follow other beings, collision avoidance etc.