What is “spotting” to you??

What do you consider to be spotting?? I’m having trouble determining the difference between what I think as spotting and/or what might be light bleeding during my period. I just know for sure I count the cycle days as

Spotting (brownish red maybe a couple times to the bathroom bleeding not enough to need a pad)

Day 1 very light and need a pad all day

Day 2 THE BLOODIEST DAY OF ALLLLLL

Is how I’m numbering my days correct? Or does the brown spotting count as “day 1”